Does a non-EU spouse of an EU citizen living in Switzerland need a work permit to work in the Netherlands?

Question

I've just joined this forum, I would like to seek your advice to enlighten me. I am Indonesian and my husband is Italian. We live in Switzerland with a B permit, allowing me to work. I have relocated here for more than a year now and couldn't find a job yet. We will extend our permit and change it into C (permanent) next year, once my husband reaches his 5 years of employment and residence here.

Recently I applied for jobs in neighbouring countries and have the possibility of a job interview with an organisation in the Netherlands. The job will enable me to go back and forth between these countries and only for a 1-year assignment. I have consulted the EC website about the treaty on free movement rights of EU citizens and their non-EU family members, which was also signed by Switzerland, links provided below:

• Free movement - EU nationals (Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion);

• Non-EU nationals (Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion);

• Family members (Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion).

However, I read somewhere that non-EU spouses could only work in other EU countries without permit as long as the EU spouse lives in the same country with him/her. I have also consulted Dutch Immigration (IND) via email asking the same question, but I haven't heard from them yet. I would highly appreciate and be grateful if anyone here could share her/his knowledge or experiences in this specific case.

Answer 1

That's how free movement in the EU works: An EU citizen has the right given by the EU to move to any other EU country and live there and work there (the exception is their own country), and doing so they can bring their husband or wife, who will then have permission to work in that country.

Yes, the very first condition is that the EU citizen needs to move to that country. There may be other ways to get permission to work, but not based on EU free movement laws.