Netherlands work visa in 2026: the routes, the salary rules and which one you can actually get
There is no single Netherlands work visa, only permits for specific kinds of work. This guide compares the routes, gives the 2026 salary thresholds and fees, and tells you honestly which one is open to you, with or without a job offer.
FindLawyer gives practical initial guidance, prepares your case and matches you with a suitable independent lawyer. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.
Figures from the IND, UWV and business.gov.nl · Checked 13 September 2026
Short answer
There is no single Netherlands work visa: you need a residence permit for work, and often an MVV to enter. Most people come as a highly skilled migrant, hired by an IND-recognised employer paying at least €5,942 gross a month in 2026, or €4,357 under 30. Other routes are the EU Blue Card, a single permit for other jobs, an intra-corporate transfer, a start-up or self-employed permit, and the orientation year for recent graduates. Without a job offer, only the orientation year, a start-up with a recognised facilitator or a self-employed permit are realistic.
Key facts for 2026
- €5,942 gross a month is the 2026 highly skilled migrant salary from age 30; €4,357 under 30.
- €3,122 a month applies during an orientation year or within 3 years of graduating.
- €423 is the 2026 IND fee for most work permits; the orientation year and seasonal work cost €254.
- 2 weeks is the IND’s aim for deciding a highly skilled migrant application; the legal limit is 90 days.
- 5 weeks is how long a vacancy must usually be open before a single permit, so the employer can show no EU candidate.
- 3 months is your search period after losing a highly skilled migrant job; 6 months after 2 years on the permit.
- 4 weeks is the deadline for your employer to tell the IND about changes, such as your contract ending.
This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.
The basics
There is no single Netherlands work visa
What people call a Netherlands work visa is a residence permit for work, plus an MVV entry visa if your nationality needs one. Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland need neither and can work here freely (IND).
- Work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV). Issued by UWV to the employer, for work of up to 3 months or for people who already live here, such as students.
- Single permit (GVVA). For work of more than 3 months: residence and work in one permit from the IND (Business.gov.nl). Our Netherlands work permit guide explains both.
- Highly skilled migrant permit. Needs no work permit at all: an employer recognised by the IND applies for the residence permit, and that is enough to work.
8 routes
The Netherlands work routes compared
Eight residence permits let you work in the Netherlands; which one fits depends on the job, the pay and whether you have an employer.
| Route | Who it is for | Key condition | IND fee 2026 | Legal decision period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly skilled migrant | Specialist employees | Salary criterion; recognised sponsor applies | €423 | 90 days; IND aims for 2 weeks |
| EU Blue Card | Employees with a recognised higher education qualification | Own salary criterion; no labour market test | €423 | 30 days via a recognised sponsor, otherwise 90 |
| Single permit (GVVA) | Other paid employment | No suitable EU or EEA candidate found | €423 | 90 days |
| Intra-corporate transferee | Managers, specialists and trainees moved within a group | Already employed outside the EU; temporary | €423 | 90 days |
| Orientation year | Graduates and researchers within 3 years | No job or sponsor needed | €254 | 90 days |
| Start-up | Founders of an innovative business | Facilitator recognised by RVO; valid 1 year | €423 | IND aims for 90 days |
| Self-employed person | Own business, including US and Japanese treaty routes | Business of essential interest to the Dutch economy | €423 | 90 days |
| Seasonal work | Agricultural work for up to 24 weeks | Employer; UWV advises on the labour market | €254 | 90 days, or 60 for returning workers |
Sources: IND fees, IND decision periods, Business.gov.nl on highly skilled employees, on start-ups and IND on seasonal work. The IND can extend a decision period.
Salary
Netherlands work visa salary thresholds for 2026
The IND sets the salary criteria every year on 1 January; in 2026 a highly skilled migrant aged 30 or over needs €5,942 gross a month.
| Salary criterion | Gross a month in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Highly skilled migrant, 30 or older | €5,942 |
| Highly skilled migrant, under 30 | €4,357 |
| Highly skilled migrant, reduced criterion | €3,122 |
| EU Blue Card | €5,942 |
| EU Blue Card, reduced criterion | €4,754 |
Source: IND required amounts. Holiday allowance does not count (IND brochure 3072).
- The reduced criterion is for people applying during an orientation year, or within 3 years of graduating, a PhD or the end of a research permit. It does not depend on age; our orientation year visa guide explains who qualifies.
- Turning 30 does not raise your threshold while you stay with the same employer; a new employer means the threshold for your age at that moment.
- 2027 changes. The government has announced higher thresholds than normal indexation for 2027, but Parliament had not passed them when we checked (Business.gov.nl).
Our highly skilled migrant visa guide covers the permit in detail.
No offer yet
Can you get a Netherlands work visa without a job offer?
Only in three situations; otherwise every work route starts with an employer. The IND has no permit simply to look for work, apart from the orientation year (IND list of work permits).
- You graduated recently. The orientation year gives you a year to find work, if you finished a Dutch degree, a PhD or research in the last 3 years, or a master’s at a top-ranked university abroad.
- You have an innovative business idea. The start-up permit lasts 1 year and requires a facilitator recognised by RVO, an innovative product or service, a plan and enough money to live on.
- You run your own business. The self-employed permit is for a company that is of essential interest to the Dutch economy, judged on a scoring system. US and Japanese citizens can apply as self-employed under their treaties (IND form 7524); Americans can start with our DAFT visa guide, and everyone else with our startup and self-employed visa guide.
A working holiday is a fourth option for a few nationalities, including Argentina, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Uruguay (IND).
Sponsors
Recognised sponsors and the public register
Only an employer recognised by the IND can apply for a highly skilled migrant permit, so check the company first. An employment agency or payroll company can also be the recognised sponsor when it is your legal employer (Business.gov.nl).
The IND publishes every recognised sponsor in the public register for work. Our guide to visa sponsorship jobs shows how to search it and how to spot sponsorship scams.
Next steps
Once you have a job offer
Your employer applies, you collect the MVV if you need one, and you register once you arrive.
- The application. The recognised sponsor applies for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time and pays the fee by direct debit; it is not refunded if the application is refused.
- Refused? You have 4 weeks to object; our IND rejection guide sets out the steps.
- Starting work. If the decision letter says so, you may work for up to 4 months before your residence document is ready. Book your biometrics and card collection within 2 weeks of the positive decision (Business.gov.nl).
- The MVV sticker. Collect it at the Dutch embassy named in the IND letter. Our MVV visa guide explains the sticker and who is exempt, and our appointment guide covers the booking.
- After arrival. Staying more than 4 months? Register with your municipality within 5 days to get your BSN (Business.gov.nl). Take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months and do the TB test within 3 months, unless your nationality is exempt (IND brochure 3089).
Job loss
If you lose your job
On a highly skilled migrant permit you have up to 3 months to find a new job, or 6 months if you have held the permit for 2 years or longer. The same longer period applies if you experienced labour exploitation.
The search period starts on the day your contract ends and never runs past the end of your permit. If no new employer registers you in time, the IND may revoke it (IND brochure 3072). Your employer must also report the end of the contract to the IND within 4 weeks.
Read what to do in the first week in our guide to losing a highly skilled migrant job, and see our page on dismissal on a highly skilled migrant permit before you sign anything.
Keep reading
Related guides
Our other guides for working in the Netherlands, from sponsors to dismissal.
Which Netherlands visa you need
Not sure work is your route? Every visa and permit side by side.
WorkHighly skilled migrant visa
The permit most employers use, step by step.
WorkNetherlands work permit
TWV or single permit: who needs one and how the employer applies.
WorkVisa sponsorship jobs
Find employers in the IND sponsor register, and avoid sponsorship scams.
WorkOrientation year visa
A year to find work after a Dutch or top-ranked degree.
PayNetherlands salary calculator
What a job offer pays after tax in 2026.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a Netherlands work visa without a job offer?
Usually not. The exceptions are the orientation year, if you graduated or finished research in the last 3 years in the Netherlands or at a top-ranked university abroad; the start-up permit, with a facilitator recognised by RVO; and the self-employed permit, for a business that serves an essential Dutch interest. US and Japanese citizens can also apply as self-employed under their treaties. Everything else starts with an employer.
What salary do I need for a Netherlands work visa in 2026?
For a highly skilled migrant permit, at least €5,942 gross a month if you are 30 or older and €4,357 if you are younger, without holiday allowance. Graduates within 3 years of their degree and people on an orientation year need €3,122. For an EU Blue Card the figure is €5,942, reduced to €4,754 for recent graduates. A single permit has no fixed threshold, but the pay must fit the job.
What is the difference between a work permit and a work visa?
A work permit (TWV) lets an employer hire you and comes from UWV; the residence permit lets you live here and comes from the IND. For work of more than 3 months, most people get both in one single permit (GVVA). Highly skilled migrants need no work permit at all: their residence permit covers the work. The MVV is only the entry visa.
Can I change employers on a highly skilled migrant permit?
Yes, if the new employer is also a recognised sponsor and you still meet the salary criterion for your age. The new employer must notify the IND within 4 weeks, and the IND checks the requirements. If you are on the reduced criterion, it stays with you when you change employers, because it does not depend on your age.
Can my partner and children come with me?
Yes. Your partner and minor children each need their own residence permit, which depends on yours, and you act as their sponsor. Employees on a highly skilled migrant permit, an EU Blue Card or a work permit can apply for their family members. Your family will also need documents such as a legalised marriage or birth certificate to register with the municipality.
How long does a Netherlands work visa take?
For a highly skilled migrant permit, the IND aims to decide within 2 weeks of the application, and the legal limit is 90 days. An EU Blue Card filed by a recognised sponsor has 30 days. A single permit has 90 days, because the IND first asks UWV for advice. If you need an MVV, add the time to collect it at the embassy.
What happens to my work visa if I lose my job?
On a highly skilled migrant permit you have up to 3 months to find a new job, or 6 months if you have held the permit for 2 years or longer or experienced labour exploitation. The search period starts on the day your contract ends and never runs past the end of your permit. If no new employer registers you, the IND may revoke it.
Do I need an MVV for a work visa?
It depends on your nationality. You need none as a citizen of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States or Vatican City. Otherwise the recognised sponsor applies for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time, and you collect the sticker at a Dutch embassy.
Free checklist · one-page PDF
Moving to the Netherlands?
Get the 12 legal things nobody tells you before you arrive — deposits, contracts, the 30% ruling, your rights. One email, no spam.
Already here and need a lawyer? Book a free call
Official sources, checked 13 September 2026
- IND: employing a foreign national
- Business.gov.nl (RVO): residence permit
- IND: fees for an application
- IND: decision periods
- Business.gov.nl: permits for your highly skilled employees
- Business.gov.nl (IND, RVO): residence permit for foreign startups
- IND: residence permit for seasonal work
- IND: required amounts and income requirements
- IND brochure 3072: residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant
- Business.gov.nl (IND): residence permit for highly skilled migrant
- IND: residence permits for work
- IND form 7524: residence as a self-employed person
- IND: apply for an MVV and residence permit from abroad
- IND: public register Work
- IND brochure 3089: enabling an employee to come to the Netherlands
Final notes and legal disclaimer
- This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
- It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
- Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
- No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
- No rights can be derived from this article.
- For decisions about a work-related residence permit, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.
FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.