The latest list of shortage occupations was valid from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023. However, its validity has been extended until 31 August 2023.

The new list, which comes into effect on 1 September 2023, was expanded. The following positions were added to the list: drilling and piling machine operator, bus driver, coach driver, refrigeration technician, industrial sheet metal worker, formwork-iron worker, bricklayer, floor tiler/installer of wall and floor coverings, construction calculator and quality controller of mechanical and metal constructions.

The following functions have been removed from the list: chef, installer of data communication works and rigger-assembler.

Occupations on the list are exempt from labor market testing. Applications submitted before 1 September 2023 on the basis of the old list (which included the three removed occupations) will still benefit from the labour market testing exemption and employers will be able to extend the work authorisations of these foreign nationals.

For further information, please visit this webpage (in Dutch) or this website (in English).