--- title: "Netherlands Orientation year (zoekjaar) requirements 2026" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/orientation-year/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-11 --- Netherlands · Talent schemes # Netherlands Orientation year (zoekjaar) **First stay:** 1 yr Residence permit for orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar) First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 1 yr (Maximum one year and cannot be extended.) - **Who can apply:** Most passports (Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals.) ## Key facts Orientation year (zoekjaar) is a talent schemes route for Netherlands. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source. - **Government fees:** €254 ≈ $280 - **First stay:** 1 yr ## Cost, time and long term **Government fees: €254 ≈ $280** - EUR 254 (≈ $280) IND application fee for the orientation-year permit. **Renewal: 1 year max, no extension** The permit lasts a maximum of 1 year and cannot be extended; you switch to a highly skilled migrant, work or start-up/self-employed permit to stay longer. [Business.gov.nl](https://business.gov.nl/coming-to-the-netherlands/permits-and-visa/residence-permit-for-orientation-year/) **Where to apply: Abroad or in-country** Apply at a Dutch embassy or consulate if abroad, or directly to the IND if already in the Netherlands. [Business.gov.nl](https://business.gov.nl/coming-to-the-netherlands/permits-and-visa/residence-permit-for-orientation-year/) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Can't be renewed: 1 year in total at most - Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national. - The applicant is a recent graduate, PhD holder or researcher. - Apply within 3 years of finishing the study, PhD or research. - Foreign study must be at a designated institution in the top 200 of at least two main rankings. #### What you must show - No income threshold applies. - Switching to highly skilled migrant afterwards uses the EUR3,122 (≈ $3,490) reduced criterion. ## 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 1 year in total** - **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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/tax/) Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026 **Full official text** One-year permit for recent graduates, PhD holders and researchers to look for work as a highly skilled migrant or start a business, with unrestricted work and no separate work permit. (source 1) #### What you must show and pay - A fee of EUR 254 (≈ $280) · IND application fee for the orientation-year permit. (source 2) #### Requirements - The applicant is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national. (source 1) - The applicant is a recent graduate, PhD holder or researcher. (source 1) - Apply within 3 years of finishing the study, PhD or research. (source 1) - Foreign study must be at a designated institution in the top 200 of at least two main rankings. (source 1) - No income threshold applies. (source 1) - Switching to highly skilled migrant afterwards uses the EUR3,122 (≈ $3,490) reduced criterion. (source 1) #### Stay - Maximum one year and cannot be extended. - Initial permitted stay: 12 months. - Not renewable according to our source. #### 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 or start a business for one year without restrictions. Checked 2026-10-11 ## Official sources 1. [Residence permit for orientation year](https://business.gov.nl/coming-to-the-netherlands/permits-and-visa/residence-permit-for-orientation-year/) · Business.gov.nl (IND) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications](https://ind.nl/en/fees) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11 ## Orientation year (zoekjaar) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Orientation year (zoekjaar) | – | 1 yr | – | | [Opportunity Card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/germany/opportunity-card-job-search/) Germany | – | 3 yr, renewable | – | | [Talent · Renowned person](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/france/talent-renown/) France | Needs income of €22k+ a year ≈ $25k | 4 yr, renewable | – | | [Global Talent](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-kingdom/global-talent/) United Kingdom | – | 5 yr, renewable | – | | [Turquoise Card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/turkiye/turquoise-card/) Türkiye | – | 3 yr | – | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the Orientation year (zoekjaar)? A fee of EUR 254 (≈ $280). IND application fee for the orientation-year permit. ### How long can I stay on the Orientation year (zoekjaar)? Maximum one year and cannot be extended. ### Can I work on the Orientation year (zoekjaar)? Work or start a business for one year without restrictions. ### Who can apply for the Orientation year (zoekjaar)? 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. ### How are Orientation year (zoekjaar) holders taxed in Netherlands? No special regime in our records is tied to the Orientation year (zoekjaar). 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. ## More in Netherlands [Working Holiday](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/working-holiday/) [DAFT self-employed](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/daft-self-employed/) [Self-employed permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/self-employed-residence/) [Startup permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/startup-residence-permit/) [Blue Card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/eu-blue-card/) [Start-up personnel permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/essential-startup-personnel/) [Highly Skilled Migrant](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/highly-skilled-migrant/) [Work permit (single permit)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/work-single-permit/) ## Special talent visas elsewhere [🇦🇿 Highly skilled migrant (points)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/azerbaijan/highly-skilled-migrant/) [🇦🇩 Science, culture or sport](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/andorra/science-culture-sport/) [🇱🇮 Special-interest residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/liechtenstein/special-interest-residence/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 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. 1. [Residence permit for orientation year](https://business.gov.nl/coming-to-the-netherlands/permits-and-visa/residence-permit-for-orientation-year/) · Business.gov.nl (IND) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Immigration and Naturalisation Service: fees for residence permit applications](https://ind.nl/en/fees) · Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.