Independent index: figures taken from official tariffs, not from agents
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No labour-market test — just a job offer from a recognised sponsor

Netherlands
Highly Skilled Migrant

A job offer from an IND-recognised sponsor and a salary at or above the threshold — no local labour-market check. The threshold depends on age and is updated twice a year.

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Salary from
€4,357/mo
Labour-market test
none
Stay requirement
continuous, tied to contract
Path to permanent residence
5 years of continuous residence

Three salary thresholds — by age

The IND threshold depends on the applicant’s age at the time of filing, and graduates of Dutch universities get a separate, reduced rate during their first year after graduation.

AGE GROUP
SALARY
WHAT TO KNOW
30 and older
SALARYfrom €5,942/mo
The standard threshold for most applicants over 30 at the time of filing.
Under 30
SALARYfrom €4,357/mo
A reduced threshold for applicants under 30 — the most common route for early-career professionals.
Dutch university graduates
SALARYfrom €3,122/mo
Applies only during the orientation year (12 months after graduating from a Dutch university).

What the process consists of

Sponsorship and processing costs are typically borne by the employer — but it helps to understand the full picture.

ITEM
RATE
APPLIES TO
Sponsor registration with IND (one-time, employer)
RATEfrom €5,000
employer
Residence permit fee (Kennismigrant)
RATE~€380
per applicant
Health insurance (mandatory)
RATEfrom €120/mo
per applicant

How the process runs

01
Job offer from a recognised sponsor
The employer must be listed in the IND recognised sponsors register — otherwise this route is unavailable.
02
Filing by the employer
The residence permit application is filed by the sponsor through IND, not directly by the applicant.
03
Salary-threshold check
IND checks the offered salary against the current threshold at the filing date — thresholds are updated twice a year.
04
Decision and MVV (if an entry visa is required)
For nationals who need an MVV entry visa, it is issued together with the residence-permit decision.
05
Residence permit for up to 5 years
Duration follows the contract but no more than 5 years at a time; renewal is available.

A good fit if

You have a job offer from a company registered with IND as a recognised sponsor.
Your salary meets the threshold for your age group: €5,942/mo (30+) or €4,357/mo (under 30).
You recently graduated from a Dutch university and are job-hunting during the orientation year — your threshold is reduced to €3,122/mo.
You need to avoid a local labour-market test — the HSM route does not require one.

A poor fit if

Your employer is not on the IND recognised sponsors register — this route is unavailable until they register.
The offered salary is below the threshold for your age group — then the options are the EU Blue Card (a separate, lower bar) or a standard work permit with a labour-market test.
You have no specific employer — like most WORK routes, HSM requires a job offer before filing; you cannot apply on your own.
The threshold you saw elsewhere is out of date — IND updates the rates twice a year, so check the current period.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

No matching firms in the directory for this category yet — the list is curated by hand and grows over time.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Why does the site show three different salaries instead of one?

Because IND officially applies three different thresholds depending on age and graduate status — showing one averaged figure would hide that many applicants face a genuinely lower (or higher) bar.

How often does the threshold change?

Twice a year — 1 January and 1 July. The figures on this page are current for the 07–12.2026 period, confirmed by a direct fetch of ind.nl.

Is a labour-market test required?

No — that is the key difference between Highly Skilled Migrant and a standard work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning), which does require one.

What is the orientation year?

A separate 12-month residence permit for graduates of Dutch (and, more recently, some top global) universities, giving unrestricted labour-market access without any salary threshold while they look for a job at the reduced HSM rate.

What is the difference between HSM and the EU Blue Card?

The EU Blue Card requires a higher-education diploma and has its own, usually lower, threshold, but works under harmonised rules across the EU. HSM is a national Dutch scheme with a different set of sponsor requirements.

Who files the application?

The sponsoring employer, through IND — the applicant does not file the residence permit application directly.

Sources

IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) — official Highly Skilled Migrant page↗IND — current salary thresholds for the 07–12.2026 period↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 26 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.