Are you in need of highly skilled migrants or are you a highly skilled migrant yourself? We will tell you all there is to know about hiring highly skilled and a highly skilled migrant in the Netherlands and thus about working in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant.
Would you rather want talk to us directly? We’re happy to answer all your questions.
Staff shortages lead to more skilled immigration
There is no sector that does not suffer from a staff shortage. One of the solutions is skilled migration. Especially in the field of technology, (road) construction, ICT and health care employers are recruiting across the border. And skilled migrants find the Netherlands a good place to work and live. According to recent numbers, between 5.000 and 7.000 highly skilled migrants a year come to the Netherlands.
The government’s point of view on skilled migration
The Netherlands is very positive about the arrival of highly skilled migrants and even created a special scheme: Kennismigrantenregeling 2022. And then there also is the 30 percent rule, to make working and living in the Netherlands even more attractive for skilled and specialized migrants.
What do I have to take care of when hiring a skilled migrant?
When you finally find the expert you need or even that one employee you’ve been searching for for the past six months, you will do anything to keep that person here. Let’s start by making a list of the basic things you need to take care of when hiring a skilled migrant for more than 90 days:
More about visa requirements:
Knowledge migrant visa Netherlands, skilled worker visa Netherlands, hsm visa Netherlands
First, you must determine whether your new employee needs a short-stay visa, a work permit, or a combined work and residence permit. If your new employee is a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, he or she needs a visa or residence permit. For a stay shorter than 90 days you need to apply for a residence permit. Will your new employee be working in the Netherlands for less than 90 days, you need to apply for a work permit. Is the highly skilled migrant Netherlands based but living abroad, this makes him or her a cross-border worker and then a work permit is also required.
Highly skilled migrant visa Netherlands cost
How much the application will cost, depends on the type of visa. For example, the first application for a short-stay visa is 80 euros for an adult. But a first application and change in the purpose of stay for a skilled migrant run up to 345 euros. These costs are normally for the account of the employer. A full list of all fees can be found on the website of IND.
Highly skilled migrant visa processing time
The IND has a 90 days decision period to decide on the application of a highly skilled migrant. It is specified by law. The employer will receive a letter stating the date by which the IND will decide on the application. The IND tries to process an application from a recognized sponsor within 2 weeks. However, the application must be complete.
Highly skilled migrant residence permit Netherlands and the IND
Employers who wish to hire a highly skilled migrant must start an entry and residence procedure at the IND. This option is only open to employers who are recognized by the IND.
The IND will investigate whether there are any objections to admission on the grounds of public order or security risks. When the investigation produces a positive result and the highly skilled migrant meets the other conditions, they can pick up an MVV (long-stay visa) from the Dutch Embassy in his or her country. This document will allow him or her to travel to the Netherlands and pick up a ‘highly skilled migrant permit Netherlands’ at the IND. If the skilled migrant does not require an MVV, the employer can start the application procedure for a work permit while the worker is already in the Netherlands.
Below you can find more information on the Netherlands skilled immigration, necessary contracts, important information about qualifications for the knowlegde migrant Netherlands welcomes, and more.
An employment contract is an agreement between an employee and an employer, containing working arrangements. It contains the rights and duties of the employer and employee. In this way, an employment contract for a skilled migrant is not any different from a contract with a Dutch resident. The point of interest in the employment contract of a highly skilled migrant is of course the wage requirement. In the Netherlands high skilled migrants have the same rights as Dutch workers and they are entitled to equal treatment and pay. Employers can offer skilled workers a fixed-term contract and a contract of an indefinite period. Read all about a contract on the website of the Dutch government.
Amongst other things, a highly skilled migrant has to earn a monthly gross income that meets the highly skilled migrant criteria. For employees from the age of 30 and up, a higher income requirement applies than for employees under the age of 30, as well as for those who have graduated in the Netherlands. The amounts are index-linked on a yearly basis and can be found on the website of IND. Usually, he or she is a high skilled professional who comes to work and live in the Netherlands.
Minimum wage Netherlands highly skilled migrant
Knowledge migrants are highly trained or skilled professionals who come to work and live in the Netherlands because we lack their knowledge. For highly skilled migrants a wage requirement applies. The government regularly adjusts the wage requirements. You will find the most recent amounts on the website of IND.
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