In this guide
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Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Employer | Must be a sponsor recognised by the IND; only a recognised employer can apply for your permit |
| Salary (30+) | Minimum €5,942/month gross (excl. holiday allowance) |
| Salary (under 30) | Minimum €4,357/month gross (excl. holiday allowance) |
| Salary (reduced criterion) | €3,122/month, including those who apply during or after an orientation year |
| Nationality | Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens |
| Health insurance | Required once you live here (Dutch basic health insurance) |
Note: EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a residence permit to work in the Netherlands. The IND publishes the current requirements on its page for highly skilled migrants (ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/highly-skilled-migrant).
The Application Process
Step 1: Find a job with a recognised sponsor
Only an employer recognised by the IND can apply for your permit. You can check the IND’s public register of recognised sponsors to verify a potential employer. An employer that is not yet recognised can apply for recognition; the IND has a legal decision period of 3 months for that application.
Step 2: The employer submits the application
Your sponsor usually submits the application for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time. The IND lists the documents you need on its site, and which ones apply depends on your nationality and situation; check the IND page for the current list. If your qualifications are from outside the EU, our free diploma recognition tool can help you check how they are recognised in the Netherlands.
Step 3: The IND decides
The legal decision period for an application to work as a highly skilled migrant is 90 days. If a recognised sponsor submits a complete application, the IND aims to decide within 2 weeks (IND). The IND may ask for additional documents.
Step 4: MVV (if required)
The MVV is an entry visa (visa sticker) for people who want to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days. Whether you need one depends on your nationality. According to the IND, you do not need an MVV if you have the nationality of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, the Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea, Switzerland or an EU/EEA member state. Check the IND list of MVV exemptions for other cases.
Step 5: Arrive, register and collect your permit
After arriving in the Netherlands:
- Register at the municipality (gemeente) within 5 days of arrival if you stay longer than 4 months. You receive your BSN (citizen service number), which you need for most things in Dutch life.
- Collect your residence permit from the IND. The IND tells you how and where; this usually requires an appointment.
Step 6: Set up Dutch life
With your BSN and residence permit you can:
- Open a Dutch bank account
- Take out Dutch health insurance, mandatory within 4 months of arrival
- Apply for the 30% ruling if you qualify
- Register with a huisarts (family doctor)
HSM Salary Thresholds: The Amounts That Apply Now
The IND changes the required amounts every year on 1 January. The highly skilled migrant must meet the amount that applies on the date of the application. The amounts below are the 2026 gross monthly figures excluding holiday allowance.
| Category | Minimum gross monthly salary, 2026 |
|---|---|
| HSM aged 30 and over | €5,942 |
| HSM under 30 | €4,357 |
| Reduced criterion | €3,122 |
| EU Blue Card | €5,942 (reduced criterion €4,754) |
Source: IND required amounts and income requirements. The IND applies the reduced criterion in three cases, including when the permit is applied for during an orientation year for highly educated persons and when the person no longer has an orientation year permit but did have one.
The age rule. According to the IND, the under-30 amount of €4,357 also applies when the highly skilled migrant has turned 30, provided the person has not changed employers since the first permit was issued, or changed employers while still under 30. If the person changed employer after turning 30, the amount for 30 and over applies.
The holiday allowance. The IND amounts exclude holiday allowance. Make sure your contract states your salary in a way that lets the IND see the monthly gross salary excluding holiday allowance.
The 30% Ruling
If you work as a highly skilled migrant you may also qualify for the 30% ruling, a tax facility under which your employer can pay part of your salary as a tax-free allowance for extraterritorial costs. The conditions are set by the Belastingdienst and differ from the IND salary threshold:
- You were recruited from abroad.
- You lived more than 150 km from the Dutch border for more than 16 of the 24 months before your first working day.
- Your salary meets the salary norm for the ruling: in 2026 it is €48,013 in taxable salary (what remains after the 30% is deducted), and €36,497 for employees under 30 with a qualifying master’s degree.
Your employer applies to the Belastingdienst together with you. To have the ruling apply from your first working day, the application must be filed within 4 months of that day. The maximum percentage falls to 27% from 1 January 2027; a transitional arrangement applies to employees who started using the ruling in 2023 (Rijksoverheid); the 30% ruling guide covers the details.
Family Members
Your partner and children apply for their own residence permits as family members. Check the IND partner and family pages for the conditions, including those for unmarried partners and for children, and for the income requirement.
Parents and other extended family members cannot join you under the highly skilled migrant scheme. Check the IND for other options.
Common Pitfalls
- Salary below the required amount. The IND applies the amount that is valid on the date of the application, and on the start date of the contract if you change employer. Discuss any change in salary with your employer and the IND.
- Late 30% ruling application. File within 4 months of your first working day for the ruling to apply from that day.
- Not registering at the municipality. You must register within 5 days of arrival if you stay longer than 4 months.
- Forgetting health insurance. You must take out Dutch basic insurance within 4 months of arrival; the CAK can impose a fine if you do not.
- Driving licence. The RDW sets the rules for using or exchanging a foreign licence; see rdw.nl for your situation.
After Arrival: Key Next Steps
Banking: Open a Dutch account. ABN AMRO says you can open an account for yourself without a BSN and provide it within 120 days. Wise can be useful for international transfers. See our best bank accounts guide.
Health insurance: Read our complete health insurance guide. For the period before you move, SafetyWing offers short-term travel-medical cover; check its site for prices and conditions. It does not replace the Dutch basic health insurance, which you must take out within 4 months of arrival.
Taxes: Understand the Dutch tax system and make sure the 30% ruling is applied if you qualify.
Language: Start learning Dutch early with one of the best apps to learn Dutch.
Open a Wise account for international transfers →
HSM Permit vs EU Blue Card
Both allow you to live and work in the Netherlands. The IND salary amounts for 2026 are the same for the highly skilled migrant aged 30 and over and for the EU Blue Card (€5,942); the reduced criterion differs (€3,122 for HSM, €4,754 for the Blue Card). The legal decision period is 90 days for the HSM application and 30 days for the Blue Card application (IND). Other conditions differ, such as education requirements; check the IND pages for both before you choose with your employer.
Changing Employers or Losing Your Job
Changing employers. Your new employer must be an IND-recognised sponsor and must submit an application. Verify this in the IND public register before you accept an offer. The required amount that applies on the date the employment contract with the new employer starts counts.
If your employment ends. According to the IND brochure for highly skilled migrants, you may be given a search period of 3 months to find another employer who can act as a recognised sponsor if you are not to blame for the end of the employment. If your residence permit was valid for 2 years or more, you may be eligible for a search period of up to 6 months, but not longer than the validity of your permit. The search period starts on the day the employment contract was dissolved. Contact the IND or check its brochure to see whether it applies to you and what you may do during that period.
For the full picture of arriving and settling, see our complete guide to moving to the Netherlands. Once you have found a new role, use the visa permit finder to check which permit category applies.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary requirement for a highly skilled migrant permit in 2026?
For 2026 the IND requires a minimum gross monthly salary of €5,942 for applicants aged 30 and over and €4,357 for those under 30, both excluding holiday allowance. A reduced criterion of €3,122 applies, among others, to those who apply during or after an orientation year permit. The required amount that applies on the date of the application counts, and the IND changes the amounts every year on 1 January. Source: ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements.
How long does it take to get a highly skilled migrant permit?
The IND has a legal decision period of 90 days for an application to work as a highly skilled migrant. If a recognised sponsor submits a complete application, the IND aims to decide within 2 weeks. Check the IND website for the current decision periods.
Can I change employers on a highly skilled migrant permit?
Yes, but the new employer must be an IND-recognised sponsor. The required amount that applies on the date the contract with the new employer starts counts. If your employment ends, you may be given a search period to find a new recognised sponsor; see the IND for the conditions.
Does my partner automatically get a permit too?
No. Your partner applies for their own residence permit as a family member. Check the IND partner pages for the conditions, including what applies to unmarried partners.
Do I need to speak Dutch for a highly skilled migrant permit?
There is no Dutch language requirement for the permit itself. Learning Dutch helps in daily life, and a later application for citizenship has its own integration requirements; check the IND.
Can I become a permanent resident after a highly skilled migrant permit?
Possibly. The IND sets the conditions for a permanent residence permit, which include a continuous period of residence and an integration requirement. See the IND page on permanent residence for the current rules.