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What does it take to move to Netherlands? Processing, cost, job offer and permanent residence

3 pathways verified against an official source. Start with a pathway, or open the published rules below to compare requirements.

A place to explore the rules, not an eligibility decision.

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Verified pathways

3 published records

Work Permit

Netherlands work visa: Highly skilled migrant

Residence permit for highly skilled work. Only an IND-recognised sponsor can apply. 2026 gross monthly salary without holiday pay is EUR 5,942 if you are 30 or older, EUR 4,357 if younger than 30, or EUR 3,122 under the reduced criterion. Type I temporary regular permit for a non-temporary purpose; you may apply for permanent residence after 5 consecutive years if you still meet the permanent-residence rules.

Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-08-15

Explore pathway Compare Netherlands work visa: Highly skilled migrant with another pathway

Post-study work

Netherlands post-study work visa: Orientation year for highly educated persons

One-year type I temporary regular permit to look for work or start a business after a qualifying Dutch bachelor or master, a designated foreign master/PhD, or qualifying research. Cannot be extended. Temporary purpose: not a route to permanent residence by itself.

Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-08-15

Explore pathway Compare Netherlands post-study work visa: Orientation year for highly educated persons with another pathway

Study permit

Netherlands student visa: Student residence permit for university or higher professional education

Full-time accredited HBO or university study. Only a recognised-sponsor institution can apply. Type I temporary regular permit for a temporary purpose. After the degree you may apply for an orientation year, highly skilled migrant (reduced salary criterion) or start-up; those are separate later applications, not settlement.

Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-08-15

Explore pathway Compare Netherlands student visa: Student residence permit for university or higher professional education with another pathway

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Compare the published requirements.

How we verify

Open a topic to see the recorded values, conditions and sources. Unchecked information stays distinct from information that the source does not publish.

Processing times, fees and residence outcomes

How long do these Netherlands routes take, what do they cost, and do they lead to permanent residence?

What language evidence and skills assessment does Netherlands name?

  • Language evidence: Orientation year after a designated foreign degree: IELTS 6.0 or another Code of Conduct English test, unless the programme was in English or Dutch. Permanent residence: civic integration exam at least A2, or an exemption.
  • Credential assessment: Nuffic international credential evaluation (required for foreign diplomas on the orientation year; Flanders accredited HE is excepted)

Verified 2026-09-25 against Immigration and Naturalisation Service.

Facts on this page come from those records — not from unsourced scores or blurbs.

Every cell is a sourced value or an explicit statement that nothing is stored. Amounts stay in the published currency.

Routes by residence outcome

Which Netherlands routes lead to permanent residence later?

Which Netherlands routes do not lead to permanent residence on their own?

Job offer requirements

Do I need a job offer for these Netherlands routes?

The authority states a job offer is required

A job offer is required for these routes.

The authority states a job offer is not required

The authority states a job offer is not required.

Not published on the page we read

We looked. Not published on the pages we read.

Education requirements

What education do these Netherlands routes require?

The authority accepts more than one education qualification

The authority accepts more than one way to meet this requirement. The wording on each row is the record's own.

The page states no education minimum

The page states no education minimum

Proof of funds

What funds do these Netherlands routes require?

The authority publishes a funds figure

These records store a funds amount with its basis and the authority's own note.

Not yet checked

We have not yet checked this field against the official source. That is not a finding that the page we read does not carry a rule.

Information gaps and their sources

Not published on the pages we read

Union of the absences recorded on this destination's routes. Each row quotes the reason stored on that record.

Processing time

  • Netherlands work visa: Highly skilled migrant

    Brochure 3072: 'The IND must take a decision on the application within 90 days, but strives to decide on the application within 2 weeks. This is on condition that the application is complete.' That 90 days is a statutory decision period, not an expected wait. Decision-periods page (https://ind.nl/en/after-your-application/decision-periods): highly skilled migrant has a legal decision period of 90 days. A separate undated section, 'Extension of decision period for initial application residence permit for work', includes this permit and says the IND may extend that legal period by 30 days and must explain the reasons. The date 22 May 2026 on that page belongs to a different rule: a 45-day period, extendable by 15 days, for some scientific-research applications. No month range is stored.

    Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-09-24

  • Netherlands post-study work visa: Orientation year for highly educated persons

    Coming to work brochure: 'If the application is complete, the IND will usually decide within 2 weeks. The procedure can last up to a maximum of 90 days.' The 90 days is a statutory maximum, not an expected wait. No month range is stored.

    Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-09-24

  • Netherlands student visa: Student residence permit for university or higher professional education

    Decision-periods page opened 2026-09-24. Under 'Application for the purpose of residence of study': 'A legal decision period of 60 days applies to this application.' Same accordion: 'Was your application submitted by a recognised sponsor? Then the IND usually needs less time to decide. If the application is complete, the target decision period is 2 weeks.' Under 'Application for the purpose of work as a highly skilled migrant' on the same page: 'A legal decision period of 90 days applies to this application.' The 60-day legal period is the figure that applies to this study permit; the 90-day figure is a different residence purpose. Both are statutory decision periods, not expected waits in months. No month range is stored.

    Source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service · verified 2026-09-25

Compare across countries: all comparisons · Why no one commits to a processing time · Years to permanent residence · Immigrate without a job offer · Application fees by country · Proof of funds by country · Work visa salary minimums · Age limits by country · Language requirements by country · Student visas and permanent residence · Temporary visas compared

Not yet verified

These names appear in searches. We have not checked them against an official source, so this page states no fees, timelines, or settlement outcomes for them.

View 1 unverified route

  • Netherlands — EU Blue Card

    Unverified

    An EU Blue Card residence permission for highly qualified employment in the Netherlands.

    Not yet verified against an official source