As of 5 April 2017, single permit holders (employees who hold a permit that allows them to both perform work and reside in the Netherlands) no longer need to wait until their work permit extension application has been processed. While the application is pending, the employee can continue to perform work in the Netherlands.
This only applies if the extension application is filed before the current permit expires, if the employee continues to perform the same type of work for the same employer and if the employee has obtained a so-called VA-sticker in his passport. The VA-sticker serves as proof that the employee is allowed to perform work in the Netherlands.
Highly Skilled Migrants were already allowed to continue to work while the extension application is pending, now also those in ‘regular’ paid employment can benefit from this rule.