Forklift / reach-truck operator
Licences / certificates: Forklift certificate (local certification arranged on arrival)
How we test: Practical forklift test, load handling, safety
Hire Warehouse & Forklift Operators in Netherlands
Order pickers, forklift and reach-truck operators, loaders and inventory clerks for logistics hubs, e-commerce fulfilment and cold storage. We recruit for the peaks — Q4, seasonal produce — as well as permanent teams.
Talk to SalesRarely granted
Direct GVVA for blue-collar
Posting from Lithuania
Practical route
6–10 weeks
Posting lead time
Highly skilled migrant
Skilled route
Warehouse & Forklift Operators we recruit for Netherlands
Order picker / packer
Licences / certificates: None
How we test: Scanner simulation, speed and accuracy, physical fitness
Loader / unloader
Licences / certificates: None
How we test: Physical fitness, safety quiz
Permit route for warehousing in Netherlands
Combined residence and work permit (GVVA) with a strict UWV labour-market test — rarely granted for blue-collar roles; posting from Lithuania is the practical route. Full Netherlands guide →
| Route | Who it's for | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVVA (single permit) | Non-EU workers hired directly by a Dutch employer for more than 3 months | IND decision up to 90 days after a 5-week UWV vacancy test | UWV requires proof that no Dutch/EU/EEA candidate is available; for drivers, warehousing and production this test is almost never met. |
| Posted worker (Vander Elst) | Third-country nationals lawfully employed in Lithuania and posted temporarily to a Dutch client | 6–10 weeks | No Dutch work permit needed; the employer must notify the posting (WagwEU), pay Dutch minimum conditions and keep the worker on the Lithuanian contract. |
| Highly skilled migrant | Engineers, managers above the IND salary threshold | 2–4 weeks for a recognised sponsor | Fast, but only for qualifying salaries. |
How ManBe supplies workers to the Netherlands
We are direct about this: for truck drivers, warehouse and production staff, applying for a Dutch GVVA is usually a waste of three months. UWV must be satisfied that nobody in the EU/EEA could fill the role after a five-week vacancy test, and the standard advice from Dutch immigration lawyers is that such applications are rejected in most cases.
The posting route. ManBe's partner entity in Lithuania employs the worker on a Lithuanian contract with a valid Lithuanian residence permit. The worker is then posted to your site in the Netherlands for a defined assignment under the EU Posting of Workers Directive. Under the Vander Elst case law, a third-country national lawfully employed in one member state does not need a separate work permit to be posted to another. Your obligations: the posting is notified to the Dutch authorities (WagwEU online notification), Dutch minimum wage and core conditions are paid for the assignment, and the worker remains genuinely employed in Lithuania.
Timeline. If the worker already holds a Lithuanian permit, 2–3 weeks. If we recruit new workers for your assignment, add the Lithuanian permit time — 6–10 weeks in total is typical.
When direct hiring does make sense. Engineers, planners and managers above the highly-skilled-migrant salary threshold can be hired directly in weeks through a recognised sponsor. We support both routes.
OUR PROCESS
A transparent, four-step journey to the perfect hire:
Brief & Blueprint
We kick off with a detailed intake role specs, culture fit, KPIs.
Search & Shortlist
Our talent network and AI-driven matching deliver a hand-picked shortlist.
Interview & Validate
We coordinate interviews, administer assessments and finalize compliance.
Place & Support
From offer acceptance to relocation logistics, we stay by your side.
Warehouse & Forklift Operators in Netherlands — FAQ
- Usually not directly; most EU employers require a local forklift certificate. It is a short course and we arrange it in the first week after arrival.
- Yes, on a sub-renting basis — the worker is employed by our partner entity and assigned to your site for the season.
- In practice no — the GVVA labour-market test is rarely passed for driving, warehouse or production roles. The realistic route is a driver employed in Lithuania and posted to the Dutch client.
- Yes, under EU posting rules and the Vander Elst exemption, provided the worker is lawfully and genuinely employed in Lithuania, the posting is notified in the Netherlands, and Dutch minimum conditions are paid.
Also hiring warehousing in: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland · Other sectors in Netherlands: Truck drivers, Skilled professionals
NEED WAREHOUSE & FORKLIFT OPERATORS IN NETHERLANDS?
Tell us the headcount, start date and any licences or certificates you require. We reply within 24 hours with a shortlist plan and the Netherlands timeline.
- ✓ Reply within 24 hours on working days
- ✓ Walk-in interviews and skills tests in the source country
- ✓ Permits, visas, travel and onboarding handled end-to-end