Work permit fees
While this newspaper fully supports the decision to issue employment permits for two years rather than one in cases where justified for obvious reasons, great care needs to be taken where it concerns plans to increase the processing fee.
First, it should be remembered that the intention of the permit is not for government to make money, but to protect the labour market. In addition, steeply increasing the current 800-guilder fee based on the argument that it is for two years rather than one could result in cash flow problems for businesses that might be able to pay that amount once a year, but not necessarily a much higher amount at once.
But it’s not just the amount that requires further consideration. While government has been getting better about issuing or denying the permit within the six-week period it set, there have been complaints that the requirements often change without informing the public, particularly the employers.
In addition, it appears that while a moratorium has been placed on certain categories of jobs because there are supposedly enough qualified local candidates, employers in especially the hotel, bar and restaurant sector often have trouble finding suitable applicants, no matter how much they advertise. When they then call the Labour Office to see if there are any qualified job seekers listed, the answer is usually negative and they are simply told to just go and hire someone if they are in urgent need of a worker.
Just as important as making the permits for two years instead of one is making sure that the granting of residence permits is also handled with the necessary expediency, because the two must go hand-in-hand for the system to work properly.
So while an increase of the work permit fee is to a certain degree understandable out of budgetary considerations, it is also necessary to see to it that adequate and timely service is provided and that the public is made aware of any changes when it comes to the requirements.
After all, if employers are made to pay more, they will also be expecting more.
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