Netherlands · Work

Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant

Income needed: from €3,122 a month ≈ $3,490

Residence permit for highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant)

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026Change log

Key facts

Highly Skilled Migrant is a work route for Netherlands. Applicants need income from €3,122 a month ≈ $3,490. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.

Money needed: from €3,122 a month ≈ $3,490
Government fees: €423 ≈ $470
Processing: Up to 90 days
First stay: 5 yrs

Cost, time and long term

To apply: government fee €423 ≈ $470; income to show from €3,122/mo ≈ $3,490; decision: up to 90 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

Government fees€423 ≈ $470

EUR 423 (≈ $470)IND application fee for the first application as a highly skilled migrant.

Shown, not spent€5,942+/mo ≈ $6,640 · +2 more

EUR 5,942 a month (≈ $6,640)Age 30 or older, first application, extension or employer change; gross per month excluding holiday allowance.
EUR 4,357 a month (≈ $4,870)Younger than 30 at application.
EUR 3,122 a month (≈ $3,490)Reduced criterion for orientation-year holders and graduates or researchers applying within 3 years.

RenewalRenewable

The permit follows the employment contract (maximum 5 years) and your employer can extend it before it expires.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence

After holding the permit for 5 years you can apply for a permanent residence permit.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence

Naturalisation needs 5 consecutive years in the Kingdom of the Netherlands on a valid residence permit, a permit with a non-temporary purpose when you apply, and the civic integration exam at level A2.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

ProcessingUp to 90 days

The IND must decide within 90 days; shorter periods can apply in some situations.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

Where to applyFrom abroad

Your employer applies; you collect an entry visa (MVV) abroad unless exempt, and the employer must apply within 3 months if you are already in the Netherlands.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service

Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

Applications are made from outside Netherlands, not after arriving
Needs a job offer from an employer in Netherlands
Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
Some ways in have an age limit

What you'll need

Who can apply4

The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national.
Only a recognised sponsor can apply.
The new sponsor must file a new application on an employer change; the permit cannot be transferred.
Willingness to take a tuberculosis test where required.

What you must show4

2026 gross monthly salary of EUR5,942 (≈ $6,640) for age 30 or older.
EUR4,357 (≈ $4,870) gross per month for applicants younger than 30.
EUR3,122 (≈ $3,490) gross per month under the reduced criterion for orientation-year holders and graduates or researchers applying within 3 years.
Salaries exclude holiday allowance.

Documents1

An employment contract with a recognised sponsor at market-level pay.

When you become tax resident

How Netherlands decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

Stay on this route: Up to 5 years at first, renewable
Tax residence: Residence determined by durable ties to the Netherlands rather than a fixed day count.
Income tax: Work and home income for people under retirement age: 35.75% up to EUR38,883, (≈ $43,400) 37.56% to EUR78,426 (≈ $87,600) and 49.5% above.

All tax rules for Netherlands Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026

Official site

Full official text

Sponsored employment permit; only a recognised sponsor can apply and the salary must meet one of three monthly gross thresholds for 2026. ^{1 2}

What you must show and pay

Income of at least EUR 5,942 a month (≈ $6,640) · Age 30 or older, first application, extension or employer change; gross per month excluding holiday allowance. ¹
Income of at least EUR 4,357 a month (≈ $4,870) · Younger than 30 at application. ¹
Income of at least EUR 3,122 a month (≈ $3,490) · Reduced criterion for orientation-year holders and graduates or researchers applying within 3 years. ¹
A fee of EUR 423 (≈ $470) · IND application fee for the first application as a highly skilled migrant. ³

Requirements

The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national. ^{1 2}
Only a recognised sponsor can apply. ^{1 2}
The new sponsor must file a new application on an employer change; the permit cannot be transferred. ²
Willingness to take a tuberculosis test where required. ²
2026 gross monthly salary of EUR5,942 (≈ $6,640) for age 30 or older. ¹
EUR4,357 (≈ $4,870) gross per month for applicants younger than 30. ¹
EUR3,122 (≈ $3,490) gross per month under the reduced criterion for orientation-year holders and graduates or researchers applying within 3 years. ¹
Salaries exclude holiday allowance. ¹
An employment contract with a recognised sponsor at market-level pay. ²

Stay

Granted for the length of the employment contract up to a maximum of five years.
First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Work for the sponsoring employer.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

Required amounts: income requirements (valid 2026) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10
Residence permit for highly skilled migrant · Business.gov.nl (IND, RVO) · checked 2026-10-10
Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
Residence permit for highly skilled migrant · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
Becoming a Dutch national through naturalisation · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11

Highly Skilled Migrant and its alternatives

Route	Money needed	Stay	Work
Highly Skilled Migrant	Needs income from €3,122 a month ≈ $3,490	5 yr, renewable	–
Blue Card	Needs income from €4,754 a month ≈ $5,310	5 yr, renewable	Yes
Start-up personnel permit	Needs income of €3,122+ a month ≈ $3,490	3 yr, renewable	–
Work permit (single permit)	Needs income of €2,337+ a month ≈ $2,610	3 yr, renewable	–
Blue Card Portugal	Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930	2 yr, renewable	Limited

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for the Highly Skilled Migrant?

Income of at least EUR 5,942 a month (≈ $6,640). Age 30 or older, first application, extension or employer change; gross per month excluding holiday allowance. Income of at least EUR 4,357 a month (≈ $4,870). Younger than 30 at application. Income of at least EUR 3,122 a month (≈ $3,490). Reduced criterion for orientation-year holders and graduates or researchers applying within 3 years. A fee of EUR 423 (≈ $470). IND application fee for the first application as a highly skilled migrant.

How long can I stay on the Highly Skilled Migrant?

Granted for the length of the employment contract up to a maximum of five years.

How long does the Highly Skilled Migrant take to process?

The IND must decide within 90 days; shorter periods can apply in some situations.

Can I work on the Highly Skilled Migrant?

Work for the sponsoring employer.

Who can apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant?

Does the Highly Skilled Migrant lead to permanent residence in Netherlands?

Time on the Highly Skilled Migrant counts toward permanent residence in Netherlands, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Highly Skilled Migrant counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.

How are Highly Skilled Migrant holders taxed in Netherlands?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Highly Skilled Migrant. The standard rules apply: Work and home income for people under retirement age: 35.75% up to EUR38,883, (≈ $43,400) 37.56% to EUR78,426 (≈ $87,600) and 49.5% above.

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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

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How this was checked

Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

Required amounts: income requirements (valid 2026) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-10
Residence permit for highly skilled migrant · Business.gov.nl (IND, RVO) · checked 2026-10-10
Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
Residence permit for highly skilled migrant · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11
Becoming a Dutch national through naturalisation · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.