Your employer must apply for your work permit with the CWI (Centre for Work and Income). In order to do this they must be able to show that no one in the Netherlands or European Union is able to fulfil the position. Usually this means they have to have advertised for five weeks without finding a candidate. To fulfil the requirements for the work permit you must be between 18 and 45 years old. Once the work permit has been granted then you can proceed to file for residency with the Dutch immigration department (IND). If you fail to meet the requirements for residency (for example if you have a criminal record) then your work permit will be cancelled. When filing for a residence permit you must include the following: a €430 processing fee, an attested birth certificate (this means it must be stamped and signed by your local consulate), proof that you do not have tuberculosis, a signed declaration of background, a copy of your contract, a copy of your work permit or application, proof that you have health insurance in the Netherlands, proof of sufficient funds (usually €3000), and two passport photos. Once you have fulfilled these requirements you can submit your application and it can take anything from one to three months to process. As long as you have your work permit though, you can apply for a tax number and begin to work while waiting for your residence permit.