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

Verified 2026-08-15 against Immigration and Naturalisation Service.

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)

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

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

Which Netherlands routes lead to permanent residence later?

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

Do I need a job offer for these Netherlands routes?

The authority says a job offer is required

The authority does not state whether a job offer is required

The verified record does not state whether a job offer is required. Absence of the field is not a no — check the official source below.

What these authorities do not publish

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

Processing time

  • 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. From 22 May 2026 the IND may extend a first-application period by 30 days with reasons. No month range is stored.

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

  • 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 2026-08-15

  • Student residence permit for university or higher professional education

    IND publishes statutory decision periods, not expected waits in months. The HSM/work brochures state a 90-day legal maximum and a 2-week strive-for target when a recognised sponsor applies and the file is complete. Study applications by a recognised sponsor follow the same decision-periods page. No month range is stored.

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

Minimum education

  • Highly skilled migrant

    Page requires an employment contract with a recognised sponsor, the salary criterion, and a market-rate salary. No prior degree is published. Previous stored value 'bachelor' contradicted that and has been removed.

    Not yet verified against an official source

  • Orientation year for highly educated persons

    Dutch path accepts an accredited bachelor’s or master’s (or a post-master of at least 10 months, or a Dutch PhD). Foreign designated-institution path requires a master’s, doctoral or post-master’s programme, not a foreign bachelor. Previous stored value 'master' was too narrow for Dutch graduates and too high as a single enum, and has been removed.

    Not yet verified against an official source

  • Student residence permit for university or higher professional education

    Page requires proof of registration on an accredited full-time HBO or university programme, not a prior bachelor's degree. A preparatory / pre-master period is allowed. Previous stored value 'bachelor' contradicted that and has been removed.

    Not yet verified against an official source

Compare across countries: all comparisons · How long these routes take · Which routes grant permanent residence on grant · Which routes lead to permanent residence later · Do I need a job offer

Verified pathways

Highly skilled migrant

Work Permit

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

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.

  • 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