The Dutch government has submitted a bill to remove the proposed labour market test from the European Blue Card legislation.

In 2025, the House of Representatives added a requirement under which the UWV would first have to check whether suitable workers were available in the Netherlands or elsewhere in the EU.

However, the IND and UWV concluded that the test would be difficult to administer and would cause structural delays beyond the decision periods required under EU law.

The government therefore introduced a separate amendment in June 2026 to remove the test. The Council of State raised no substantive objections.

As of 31 July 2026, the amendment is still being considered by the House of Representatives and has not yet been adopted. The proposed labour market test has not entered into force and is not currently part of the European Blue Card application requirements.

The Blue Card therefore remains an important option for employers that are not recognised sponsors with the IND.