Netherlands - Visas / Work Permits

EU citizens do not require a work permit or a visa; they are however (as are non EU/EEA citizens) required to register for a residence permit if they intend to stay for longer than 3 months.  

Non EU/EEA citizens require a visa and a work permit, both of which only your employer can apply for.  So you must first find a company willing to employ you and apply for the visa and work permit for you.  The work permit applies to that specific job, so if you then change jobs, you will need to get another work permit via your new employer. Our recent experience is that you can expect a 3 - 5 month wait for permits to be issued. Transfer time to change a work permit from one employer to another is typically 2 - 4 months.