Netherlands Visa Pathways: Work, Business and Family in 2026

The Netherlands is small, international and very organised. English is widely spoken, salaries are solid and the immigration system is clearer than most. But it's also strict: each permit has exact salary figures, and the wrong choice can cost you months.

This guide compares the main ways to move there in 2026 and shows which one fits which situation. All figures come from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The IND updates them every January and July, so check the live pages before you apply.

The five main routes at a glance

There's also an intra-corporate transfer permit for managers, specialists and trainees moved by their employer from another country. If your company has a Dutch office, ask HR about it.

Highly skilled migrant: the most common work route

The highly skilled migrant scheme is how most skilled non-EU workers move to the Netherlands. It's fast and flexible, but only if the employer is on the IND's public register of recognised sponsors. A great offer from an unregistered company won't work.

The IND sets these gross monthly salary figures, excluding the 8% holiday allowance, from 1 July 2026:

The salary must also match the market rate for the job. According to the IND:

• your employer applies for you, including the provisional residence permit (MVV) if you need one
• the IND decides within 90 days, and recognised sponsors usually get much faster decisions
• the permit lasts as long as your contract, up to five years
• you may need a tuberculosis test after arrival, depending on your nationality

The Dutch EU Blue Card

The Blue Card is an EU-wide permit with Dutch rules. Its salary threshold is the same as for older highly skilled migrants, €5,942 a month, with a reduced €4,754 for people who recently completed higher education.

You need a contract for a highly qualified job of at least six months. The IND accepts either a higher education qualification or five years' relevant work experience at a comparable level. For IT managers and IT professionals, three years' experience can be enough.

Why choose it over the highly skilled migrant scheme? The Blue Card makes it easier to move to another EU country later, and it counts towards EU long-term residence. The highly skilled migrant scheme is usually easier if you're under 30, because its threshold is lower.

The orientation year for graduates

The orientation year (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden) gives graduates 12 months to find work or start a business. During that year you can work freely, without your employer needing a work permit.

You qualify if, within the last three years, you:

• completed a bachelor's or master's degree at a Dutch higher education institution
• finished a post-master's programme in the Netherlands of at least 10 months
• earned an Erasmus Mundus joint master's degree
• did scientific research in the Netherlands
• graduated from a foreign university ranked in the top 200 by at least two of the three major rankings the IND uses

Foreign graduates also need to prove their English, for example with an IELTS score of at least 6.0. The permit can't be extended. Once you find a job, you can switch to a highly skilled migrant permit at the reduced salary figure.

Self-employed permits and DAFT for Americans

For most nationalities, the self-employed permit is hard to get. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) scores your application on your experience, business plan and added value to the Dutch economy. You need at least 30 points in each area, or 45 each for experience and business plan.

US and Japanese citizens have an easier path through trade treaties. For Americans, it's the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT). According to the IND:

• the points test doesn't apply
• you need a minimum capital investment of €4,500 for most business types, or €11,250 for a public limited company (NV)
• you register with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) and complete the investment within six months of getting your permit
• the first permit lasts up to two years and costs €423

DAFT suits freelancers, consultants and small business owners. You still need to earn a living from the business, so keep good records from day one.

Family: joining a partner

If your partner lives legally in the Netherlands, you can apply to join them. The IND sets a few core conditions:

• you both need to be at least 21, or 18 if you were already married before moving
• your partner needs independent, sustainable and sufficient income
• you usually need to pass the Civic Integration Exam Abroad before applying for the MVV

Citizens of the EU and EEA, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Monaco and Vatican City are exempt from the exam. People coming for a temporary purpose, such as partners of highly skilled migrants, are generally exempt too.

If your partner is Dutch or has permanent residence, your permit usually lasts five years. If they hold a temporary permit, yours ends when theirs does. The partner permit costs €254.

Three example profiles

Real situations rarely fit neatly into a table. These examples show how the rules play out. They're illustrations, not advice for your case.

A 27-year-old software developer from India has an offer of €4,600 a month from a company on the IND register. That's above the under-30 highly skilled migrant figure of €4,357, so the highly skilled migrant route fits. The Blue Card wouldn't work, because even its reduced €4,754 figure for recent graduates is higher than the offer.

A 35-year-old engineer from Brazil is offered €6,200 a month. Both routes work. If she wants the option of moving to another EU country later, the Blue Card is worth a closer look.

A US graphic designer wants to freelance for Dutch and American clients. DAFT is the natural route: register a business with the Chamber of Commerce, invest at least €4,500 and apply for the self-employed permit without the points test.

A master's graduate from a Dutch university hasn't found a job yet. The orientation year gives a full year to search, and a later job only needs to meet the reduced €3,122 figure.

Bringing family on a work permit

If you move on a highly skilled migrant permit or Blue Card, your partner and children can usually come with you. Their permits normally follow yours, and your partner can generally work in the Netherlands. Because their stay is linked to your temporary permit, they're generally exempt from the Civic Integration Exam Abroad. Your employer can often submit family applications together with yours, which saves time.

Costs, taxes and settling in

Beyond IND fees, budget for:

After arrival, register at your municipality to get a citizen service number (BSN). You need it to work, open a bank account and get health insurance.

Some employees recruited from abroad may qualify for a Dutch tax facility for incoming staff. Rules have changed in recent years, so check the current conditions with the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) rather than relying on older articles. If you send money home, compare providers on total cost, including exchange rates.

Step by step: from plan to arrival

1. Choose your route. Use the table above and check your salary or situation against the IND's current figures.
2. Find a recognised sponsor or business plan. For work routes, confirm your employer is on the IND register.
3. Prepare documents. Passport, contract, diplomas, and legalised and translated civil documents.
4. Take the integration exam if needed. Family applicants from non-exempt countries should book it early.
5. Apply. Your employer or partner usually applies for the MVV and residence permit together.
6. Collect your MVV and travel. The MVV is valid for 90 days and only lets you enter.
7. Register and collect your permit. Register with your municipality, get your BSN and pick up your residence card.

Scams and mistakes to avoid

Be careful with:

• agents who sell "guaranteed" highly skilled migrant jobs; only a recognised employer can apply
• offers where the salary sits just above the threshold but duties don't match
• paid "sponsorship" from companies not on the IND register
• rental listings asking for a deposit before a viewing, a common housing scam

Long-term residence

After five consecutive years with a valid permit, you can generally apply for permanent residence. The IND says you need to pass the civic integration exam at A2 level or have an exemption, and meet the income requirement. The application costs €254 and the IND has up to six months to decide.

If you're comparing Europe more broadly, see how Germany's skilled work routes compare, or Luxembourg for engineers. For a wider view, read countries offering jobs with visa sponsorship.

Your next steps

• Pick the route that fits you and read its IND page.
• Check the latest salary figures, valid from 1 January or 1 July.
• Confirm your employer is a recognised sponsor.
• Get civil documents legalised and translated early.
• Book the integration exam if you need it.
• Plan your first months' rent, deposit and insurance costs.

The Dutch system rewards people who check the numbers carefully. Match your situation to the right permit, and the process is usually predictable.