Although this page is all about Visas and how to apply for them, kindly keep in mind that GitLab does not offer any form of Work Sponsorship anywhere in the world. We do have guidance below on how we provide sponsorship in the Netherlands, but we do not offer this in any other location at this time. We are also not in a position to transfer existing Work permit's at this time.
You can expense:
You can not expense relocation costs.
For assistance with any employment or relocation visa please reach out to the People Ops Manager. Point of contact for Contribute and travel visas is TBD.
In some cases when traveling to a conference or summit you might need to arrange a visa to enter that specific country.
Always check the website of the Embassy of the Country you want to visit located in your home country. They will have the most updated information on whether or not you need a visa and what is needed for your application. In some instances you can travel under a visa waiver program (e.g. ESTA) in other cases you might need to arrange a tourist or business visa. Read their website carefully and ask People Ops Specialists if you need any help with acquiring the needed documents for your application.
We gladly organize and pay for local legal assistance, especially if you are at high risk of having a long process.
Please note that the below timeline is just a guide, and you should always check the guidance on the official website of the embassy for the country you are applying to before making your application or traveling to an interview.
Some of our GitLab team-members in the Netherlands have a "werkvergunning" or work permit under the highly skilled migrants category of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
Here is a generally but not authoritative helpful guide on considerations around permit extensions.
The 30% reimbursement ruling (better known as the 30% ruling) is a tax advantage for highly skilled migrants moving to the Netherlands. This benefit, granted for five years, allows them to receive 30% of their employment income tax free. As an example, when your employment income is EUR 60,000; the 30% ruling ensures a net pay of EUR 18,000. The remainder of EUR 42,000 is subject to Dutch taxes. In addition, when being entitled to the 30% ruling you can exclude your savings from Dutch income tax (which can be beneficial once you have exercised your stock options).
The 30% ruling is a mutual application filed by the employee and GitLab BV as the employer. During the onboarding procedure a questionnaire is shared in order to gather the necessary information to file the application for the 30% ruling. People Ops shares the 30% ruling questionnaire and supporting documentation with HRSavvy (the company that supports GitLab with visas and payroll in the Netherlands). HR Savvy will subsequently apply for the 30% ruling. There are some conditions to be satisfied to be granted the 30% ruling.
The decision from the Dutch Tax Authorities can take up to four months. Once your 30% ruling is granted, the application will be made retroactively in the payroll administration to your starting date. Read more from the Dutch tax authorities by clicking this link.
Here is an approximate net-salary calculator in The Netherlands to reckon additional salary payment with 30% ruling.
The 30% ruling is a tax advantage granted for five years, which means that you can carry this over to a new employer if your new role still fulfills the requirements of the 30% ruling. Note that you are only allowed to transfer the 30% ruling when there is a gap of maximum three months between your previous employment and your employment at GitLab BV. The 30% ruling questionnaire includes a section where you can state that you have already been entitled to the 30% ruling. Transferring the 30% ruling tends to be faster since your qualifications were already assessed at your previous employment.
A BSN number is like a citizen number. It is required so new team members can be added to the B.V. Netherlands payroll. It's also required for things like health insurance and opening a bank account.
There are two options to get a BSN number in the Netherlands:
Getting a BSN number at the municipality. This process will take at least 1-4 weeks. There are no costs involved with registering and receiving a BSN at the municipality.
Getting a BSN number at your local Expat center. It is possible to make an appointment within 2 weeks.
Everyone that meets the following requirements can request to immigrate and relocate to the Netherlands, but you will also still need to pass the formal visa application process to qualify. The three requirements are:
Tenure of less than 1 year at GitLab may be possibly waived as a requirement if:
If you meet these requirements, kindly read our Relocation handbook page, as well as our specific Netherlands section, to ensure that your request is evaluated and approved following our protocols. Please email peopleops@ gitlab.com if you have any questions.
If you do not meet one or more of the above requirements, please file a request with your manager and indicate clearly which requirements you meet and which ones you do not meet. All situations will be reviewed on a case by case basis. If you receive full manager approval, please forward that approval to peopleops @gitlab.com at the start of the process. Manager approval to proceed does not ensure that you will be approved to relocate and immigrate.
Here is a document written by a GitLab team member (internal only) detailing their immigration experience to the Netherlands.
Sid and Marin discuss the history of GitLab's right to immigrate to the Netherlands.