Moving to the Netherlands for a job: visas and work permits

How to move to the Netherlands for work: Highly skilled migrant, European Blue Card. Salary thresholds, costs, processing times and routes for your partner and children, from official sources.

Work permits and visas

Highly skilled migrant

The highly skilled migrant residence permit lets you work in the Netherlands for an employer or research institution that the IND recognises as a sponsor. Only that employer can apply for your permit, and you must meet a minimum salary that depends on your age and situation. The permit lasts as long as your contract, up to a maximum of 5 years.

  • Family members: Your employer, as recognised sponsor, can also apply for residence permits for your family members. Source
  • Permit validity: Your permit is valid for the length of your contract, up to a maximum of 5 years. Source
  • BIG registration for healthcare professions: If you will work in individual healthcare in a medical profession listed in the BIG Act, you must be registered in the BIG register. Source
  • Salary in line with the market rate: Your agreed salary must match what people in the same job earn on average. Source
  • Application fee: The application costs €423.00, which your employer pays by direct debit. Source
  • Longer job search after two years: If you lose your job on or after 22 May 2026 and have held the permit for two years or more, you get up to 6 months to find new work. Source
  • Job search after losing your job: If you become unemployed while your permit is still valid, you have up to 3 months to find a new job. Source
  • Provisional residence permit (MVV): If you apply from abroad, you may need an MVV; your employer applies for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time. Source
  • What counts towards the salary: Holiday allowance, payments in kind and irregular pay such as overtime or tips do not count towards the salary requirement. Source
  • Decision period: The IND must decide within 90 days, but it can extend this period, for example if the application is incomplete. Source
  • Salary threshold, age 30 or older: If you are 30 or older, you need a gross salary of at least €5,942.00 per month. Source
  • Reduced salary criterion for recent graduates: If the reduced salary criterion applies to you (for example, you apply within 3 years of graduating or your doctoral defence, or during an orientation year permit), you need a gross salary of at least €3,122.00 per month. Source
  • Salary threshold for researchers and doctors in training: If you are a researcher or a medical doctor in training, your gross salary must be at least €1,635.90 per month without holiday allowance. Source
  • Salary threshold, younger than 30: If you are younger than 30, you need a gross salary of at least €4,357.00 per month. Source
  • Permanent residence: Once you have had a residence permit for 5 years, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. Source
  • Recognised sponsor required: You need an employment contract with an employer or research institution in the Netherlands that the IND recognises as a sponsor. Only that employer can apply for your permit. Source
  • Other work after 5 years: After you have worked in the Netherlands for 5 years, you may also work as an employee for another employer without that employer needing a work permit. Source
  • Work allowed with the permit: You may work as a highly skilled migrant for your employer and also as a self-employed person; other work as an employee needs a work permit (TWV). Source

European Blue Card

The European Blue Card is a European work and residence permit for highly educated employees from outside the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland. It lets you do highly qualified work in the Netherlands for an employer, who usually applies for you and does not need to be a recognised sponsor.

  • Family members: Your family members can apply at the same time as your Blue Card application, and that family application has a decision period of 30 days. Source
  • Permit validity: Your permit is valid until 3 months after your employment contract ends, and for 5 years at most. Source
  • Employment contract of 6 months: Your employment contract must be valid for at least 6 months. Source
  • Employer requirements: Your employer's company must carry out economic activity and must not have been fined in the past 5 years for breaking certain Dutch labour, tax and wage laws. Source
  • Work experience for IT professionals: If you are an IT manager or IT professional, you need at least 3 years of relevant work experience within the 7 years before your application. Source
  • Degree or work experience: You need a higher education diploma from a programme of at least 3 years, or at least 5 years of relevant work experience at that level. Foreign diplomas must be evaluated by Nuffic. Source
  • Regulated professions: If you work in a regulated profession, such as doctor or lawyer, you must show that you are allowed to practise it in the Netherlands. Source
  • Application fee: The application costs €423,00. Source
  • Time to find a new job: If you lose your job, you have at most 3 months to find a new one, or at most 6 months if you have held the permit for 2 years or longer. Source
  • What counts towards the salary: Holiday allowance, payments in kind and irregular pay such as overtime or tips do not count towards the salary threshold. Fixed allowances count only if they are in your contract and paid monthly into your bank account. Source
  • What the European Blue Card is: The European Blue Card is a European work and residence permit for highly educated employees from outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland. Source
  • Decision within 90 days: For all other applications the IND has 90 days to decide, and it can extend this period. Source
  • Decision within 45 days for some permit holders: If the 30-day period does not apply and you already hold a Dutch permit for work such as paid employment or highly skilled migrant, the IND must decide within 45 days. Source
  • Decision within 30 days: The IND must decide within 30 days if a recognised sponsor applies, or if you apply for long-term mobility after holding a Blue Card in another EU country. Source
  • General salary threshold: For 2026 you need a gross salary of at least €5,942.00 per month, for a first permit, an extension or a change of employer. Source
  • Reduced salary threshold for recent graduates: If you have completed a higher education programme and your sponsor applies within 3 years after your graduation or promotion date, the lower threshold of €4,754.00 gross per month applies. Source
  • Long-term EU residency after 2 years: With a European Blue Card you can in some cases apply for long-term EU residency after 2 years instead of 5 years. Source
  • Permanent residence: After 5 years with a residence permit you can apply for permanent residence; with a European Blue Card this is sometimes possible sooner. Source
  • Recognised sponsor not required: Your employer is your sponsor, but it does not need to be recognised by the IND as a sponsor to apply for a European Blue Card. Source
  • Self-employed work allowed: You may work for the employer that applied for you, and also on a self-employed basis, as long as you keep meeting the Blue Card requirements. Source
  • Other employers need a work permit: If you also want to work for another employer, that employer needs a work permit (TWV) for you. Source

Looking for work

Orientation year for graduates

The orientation year is a Dutch residence permit that lets you look for work in the Netherlands after you graduate, obtain a doctorate or do research. It is for recent graduates and researchers from Dutch institutions, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programmes or designated top-ranked foreign institutions. The permit is valid for 1 year and cannot be extended.

  • Permit validity: Your orientation year permit is valid for 1 year. Source
  • No extension: You cannot extend the orientation year permit. Source
  • Foreign diploma evaluation: Your foreign diploma must be evaluated by Nuffic before it can be accepted. Source
  • Erasmus Mundus master's degree: You qualify if you obtained a master's degree in an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme in the 3 years before you apply. Source
  • Top 200 foreign institution: If you studied abroad, your institution must be in the top 200 of the general or subject rankings of at least 2 of the 3 recognised ranking publishers. Source
  • One orientation year per programme: You cannot get a second orientation year for the same research, study programme or doctoral programme. Source
  • Recent scientific research: You qualify if you conducted scientific research in the Netherlands in the 3 years before you apply. Source
  • Recent study programme: You qualify if you completed an eligible study programme, such as an accredited Dutch bachelor's or master's degree, in the 3 years before you apply. Source
  • Application fee: The application costs €254. Source
  • English test for foreign graduates: If you graduated from a designated foreign institution, one option is to show an IELTS score of at least 6.0 (Academic or General Training). Source
  • Programme taught in English or Dutch: If you graduated from a designated foreign institution, you also meet the language requirement if your programme was taught in English or Dutch. Source
  • Applying from abroad: If you apply from abroad, you apply for a provisional residence permit (MVV) and the residence permit at the same time at a Dutch embassy or consulate. Source
  • Switching to a work permit: If you find a job during your orientation year and want to stay, you can apply for a residence permit that allows you to work, such as highly skilled migrant. Source
  • Purpose of the permit: You need this residence permit if you want to look for work in the Netherlands after your graduation, doctorate or research. Source
  • Decision period: The IND must decide on your application within 90 days, though it can extend this period. Source
  • Working while you wait: In some situations you may start working while your application is pending, but you first need a Residence Endorsement sticker in your passport. Source
  • Free to work: You may work freely, do an internship or be self-employed, and your employer does not need a work permit (TWV). Source

Moving with your family

Partner and children of a highly skilled migrant or Blue Card holder

This route lets the foreign partner and minor children of a worker with a Dutch residence permit, such as a highly skilled migrant or European Blue Card holder, live with them in the Netherlands. Your partner may be married, a registered partner or unmarried, and children must be under 18. If the worker is a highly skilled migrant or Blue Card holder, the partner and children are free to work.

  • Child permit validity: If you have a temporary residence permit, your child's permit ends on the same date as yours. Source
  • Partner permit validity: If you have a temporary residence permit, your partner's permit ends on the same date as yours. Source
  • Application fee for a child: The application for your child costs €85,00. Source
  • Application fee for a partner: The application for your partner costs €254,00. Source
  • Civic integration exam abroad: Your partner may need to pass the civic integration exam abroad before applying for the MVV, but sometimes the exam is not required. Check the IND page on exemptions and dispensation. Source
  • Income requirement for a child (sponsor with partner): If you are married, a registered partner or living together unmarried, you need a gross SV salary of at least €2,337.00 per month without holiday allowance to bring your child. Source
  • Income requirement for a child (single parent): If you are a single parent, you need a gross SV salary of at least €1,635.90 per month without holiday allowance to bring your child. If you are also bringing a partner, the higher amount for couples applies. Source
  • Income requirement for a partner: From 1 July 2026 up to and including 31 December 2026, you as the sponsor need a gross SV salary of at least €2,337.00 per month without holiday allowance to bring your partner. Source
  • Tuberculosis test: After arriving in the Netherlands, your partner must take a TB test, unless an exemption applies, for example based on nationality. Source
  • Waiting period if you must integrate: If you are obliged to integrate in the Netherlands, you must have lived there with a valid residence permit for at least 1 year before you can bring your partner. This does not apply when it is in the interest of your minor children for your partner to come now. Source
  • Decision period for a child: The IND must decide on your child's application within 90 days. It can extend this period, for example if the application is incomplete. Source
  • Decision period for a partner: The IND must decide on your partner's application within 90 days. It can extend this period, for example if the application is incomplete. Source
  • Permanent residence for a child: If your child has a 5-year residence permit as a family member, you can apply for a permanent residence permit for them. Source
  • Permanent residence for a partner: If your partner has a 5-year residence permit as a family member, they can apply for a permanent residence permit. Source
  • Children under 18: Your child must be under 18 years of age. Source
  • Child must be part of your family: Your child must belong to your family, as they already did abroad. They cannot live independently, support themselves, be married or live with a partner. Source
  • Who counts as a partner: Your partner can be your spouse, your registered partner or your unmarried partner, as long as the relationship can be verified. Source
  • Minimum age for partners: You and your partner must both be 21 or older. If you were already married while you both lived outside the Netherlands, you both need to be 18 or older. Source
  • Child is free to work: If you are a highly skilled migrant or European Blue Card holder, your child is free to work without a work permit. Age limits on children's work still apply. Source
  • Partner is free to work: If you hold a highly skilled migrant or European Blue Card residence permit, your partner is free to work. Source

Extracted from official government pages with AI (Claude) and checked against the page text every day. Each fact links to its source. This is general information, not legal advice: check the official page before you apply.

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