Immigration · Updated 13 Sep 2026 · ~11 min read

Orientation year visa Netherlands (zoekjaar) 2026: eligibility, applying and the reduced salary

The orientation year gives recent graduates, PhD graduates and researchers a year in the Netherlands to find a job or start a business. This guide covers who qualifies, how to apply from abroad or in the country, the 2026 fee and the lower salary threshold that follows.

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Check if you qualifyThe salary threshold

Conditions from the IND’s own forms and pages · Checked 13 September 2026

Short answer

The orientation year visa (zoekjaar) is a Dutch residence permit of up to 1 year for people who, in the 3 years before applying, graduated from a Dutch bachelor’s or master’s programme, obtained a Dutch PhD, did research on a Dutch research permit, or finished a master’s or PhD at a university abroad ranked in the top 200. You can work or start a business without a work permit. The IND fee is €254 in 2026. The permit cannot be extended, but a highly skilled migrant permit applied for during the year needs a salary of only €3,122 gross a month.

Key facts for 2026

  • 1 year is the longest an orientation year lasts, and it cannot be extended.
  • 3 years is your window: apply within 3 years of graduating, obtaining your PhD or finishing your research.
  • €254 is the 2026 IND fee; Turkish citizens pay €85.
  • Top 200 in rankings from at least 2 separate publishers, on your graduation date, is the test for a university abroad.
  • €3,122 gross a month is the 2026 reduced salary for a highly skilled migrant, against €4,357 under 30 and €5,942 from 30.
  • 6.0 is the minimum IELTS score for graduates from abroad, unless their programme was taught in English or Dutch.
  • 3 months is the deadline for the TB test after you receive the permit, unless your nationality is exempt.

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 permit

Orientation year visa Netherlands: what you get

The orientation year is a residence permit of up to 1 year that lets recent graduates, PhD graduates and researchers look for work or develop a business in the Netherlands. Its Dutch name is zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden, the search year for highly educated persons (IND).

  • You apply yourself. No employer or university has to act as your sponsor: you file at a Dutch embassy or consulate, or with the IND if you already live here (Business.gov.nl).
  • Work without a work permit. You can work or start a business without restrictions, and an employer needs no separate work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV) to hire you.
  • 1 year, no extension. To stay longer, you switch to another residence permit before the year ends.
  • A lower salary bar afterwards. A highly skilled migrant permit applied for during the year comes with the reduced salary criterion, explained below.

Job seeker visa

Is this the Netherlands ‘job seeker visa’?

In practice, yes: the orientation year is the Dutch permit for looking for work, although no IND permit is called a job seeker visa. On the IND’s list of residence permits for work, it is the one for people who want to look for a job after graduating, a PhD or scientific research. The form for applying in the Netherlands names the purpose ‘looking for work and carrying out work whether or not as an employee’.

If you have no recent qualifying degree or research post, that list has no other permit for job hunting. You then need a job offer, for example for the highly skilled migrant visa, or a permit to work for yourself as a self-employed person or start-up. Our Netherlands visa guide compares those routes and their 2026 fees, and our guide to visa sponsorship jobs shows how to find an employer that can sponsor you.

3-year rule

Who qualifies for the orientation year

You qualify if you completed one of the programmes below in the 3 years before the date of your application. Your nationality then decides the rest of the procedure, which the IND page shows once you enter it.

Your situationConditionEvidence you send
Bachelor’s or master’s in the NetherlandsAn accredited programme at a Dutch higher education institutionDiploma showing the graduation date, or the school’s signed statement on completion of study
Post-master’s in the NetherlandsAt least an academic year: a minimum of 10 monthsDiploma or certificate with the date
PhD in the NetherlandsDoctorate from a Dutch university or the Open UniversityDiploma showing when you obtained it
Researcher in the NetherlandsA Dutch permit for scientific research (Directive (EU) 2016/801), or a highly skilled migrant permit to do researchNothing extra: the IND already has the information
Erasmus Mundus Joint MasterA master’s degree from the programmeDiploma with the date, plus a Nuffic credential evaluation
Master’s, post-master’s or PhD abroadAt a designated university in the top 200, plus proof of EnglishDiploma, proof of the ranking on your graduation date, Nuffic evaluation and English result

Also eligible: a study completed under the Cultural Policy Act, or one provided under the development cooperation policy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sources: IND form 9571 and form 7523.

The top 200 rule for universities abroad

On the date you graduated or obtained your PhD, your university must have been in the top 200 of at least 2 rankings from separate publishers. General rankings count, and so do rankings by faculty or subject in your own field; rankings from the same publisher count as one. The IND names three publishers: Times Higher Education, Quacquarelli Symonds and ShanghaiRanking Consultancy.

You also prove your English, with an IELTS score of at least 6.0, a comparable test result, or a master’s, post-master’s or PhD taught in English or Dutch. If you graduated in an English-speaking country, no proof is needed. Still waiting for your Nuffic credential evaluation? Send proof that you applied, then the evaluation as soon as it arrives.

Applying

How to apply from abroad or in the Netherlands

From abroad you normally apply for the MVV and the residence permit together at a Dutch embassy or consulate-general; if you already live in the Netherlands legally, you apply to the IND. Netherlands Worldwide explains the embassy route, and our guide to MVV appointments shows how to book one.

From abroad, with form 9571

  1. Check the conditions and the MVVWhether you need an MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) depends on your nationality. Our Netherlands visa guide lists who is exempt.
  2. Book the embassy appointmentApply at the Dutch embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence, or in the nearest country if that is not possible. Bring form 9571, a passport photo and your valid passport.
  3. Keep your V-numberThe embassy registers the application and gives you a confirmation letter with your V-number. Without that number, the IND cannot process your form.
  4. Send the documents and pay within three weeksSend the completed form and your evidence to the IND, and transfer the fee. The IND asks you to wait a week first, so it can connect your payment to the application.
  5. Travel, collect and testOnce approved, you collect the MVV from the embassy. The IND aims to have your residence permit ready when you arrive; take the TB test within 3 months unless you are exempt.

The TB test exemption depends on your nationality, and it also applies if you already hold a valid Dutch residence permit (IND).

In the Netherlands, with form 7523

Living here on another valid permit, for example as a student or researcher? You apply to the IND to change it, online or by post with form 7523. If you post the form, the IND sends a letter saying whether you must give fingerprints, and you book an online appointment at an IND desk for your photo and signature; our IND appointment guide explains the booking. Researchers who had a Dutch research permit do not need to send evidence of it.

IND refused, asked for more evidence, or missed its decision date?

Whether you are the applicant or the person sponsoring them in the Netherlands, tell Finn what happened and the dates on the letters. We prepare the case and introduce you to an independent immigration lawyer who works in English. Most clients are introduced to a lawyer within one business day.

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Costs

Orientation year fee in 2026

The IND fee for an orientation year is €254 in 2026, both for a first application and for a change of residence purpose. You pay for the processing, not for the permit, so the fee is not refunded if the IND refuses your application. After a refusal, our IND objection guide explains your options.

ApplicantFee in 2026When you pay
Most nationalities€254From abroad, within three weeks of the embassy appointment
Citizens of Turkey€85The same deadline
Citizens of San Marino or IsraelFreeNothing to pay

Sources: IND fees and IND form 9571, for applications submitted between 1 January 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Salary threshold

The reduced salary threshold it unlocks

A highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit applied for during your orientation year, or within 3 years of graduating, needs a gross salary of €3,122 a month in 2026, not €4,357 or €5,942.

Salary criterionGross a month in 2026, excluding holiday allowanceWho it applies to
Reduced salary criterion€3,122During your orientation year, or within 3 years of graduating (the three cases below)
Younger than 30€4,357Highly skilled migrants under 30 without the reduced criterion
30 or older€5,942Highly skilled migrants aged 30 or over; also the standard EU Blue Card
EU Blue Card, reduced€4,754Graduates whose sponsor applies within 3 years of the graduation date

Source: IND required amounts.

The reduced criterion applies in three cases:

  • You apply for the highly skilled migrant permit during your orientation year.
  • Your orientation year is over, and you apply within 3 years of your graduation or PhD date, or of the date your research permit expired.
  • You never had an orientation year but meet its conditions, and you apply within those same 3 years.

It does not depend on your age, and it still applies when you change employers (IND brochure 3072). Your salary must be paid by an employer the IND recognises as a sponsor, and that employer applies for the permit. A job that does not meet the highly skilled migrant conditions needs a single permit instead, and a business of your own needs a self-employed or start-up permit. Our highly skilled migrant visa guide covers the employer’s side.

After the year

Can you extend it or get a second orientation year?

You cannot extend an orientation year, but you can get a new one after another completed study programme, PhD or research period. That new programme or research must end after your previous orientation year permit expired (Business.gov.nl).

Arrange your next permit before the year runs out. If you stay after your permit expires without a new one, you risk an entry ban for the Schengen area. Once your next application is in, our IND processing times guide explains what to do if the decision is late.

Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for graduates and professionals moving to the Netherlands.

Visas

Which Netherlands visa you need

Every route for a short or long stay, with its 2026 IND fee.

 Work

Highly skilled migrant visa

Recognised sponsors, salary thresholds and the application your employer files.

 Applying

Book a visa or IND appointment

MVV sticker appointments abroad, and IND desks for biometrics and your card.

 Work

Losing a highly skilled migrant job

Your search period and the permits you can switch to.

 Permits

Types of residence permit

Temporary and permanent permits side by side.

 Permits

IND processing times

Decision periods, and what to do when the IND runs late.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who can get an orientation year visa in the Netherlands?

Anyone who, in the 3 years before applying, completed an accredited bachelor’s or master’s programme in the Netherlands, a Dutch post-master’s of at least 10 months or a Dutch PhD, held a Dutch research permit, finished an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, or completed a master’s or PhD at a university abroad ranked in the top 200 by 2 separate publishers. Graduates from abroad also prove their English.

Is there a job seeker visa for the Netherlands?

Not under that name. The permit the IND offers for looking for work is the residence permit for an orientation year, and it is only for recent graduates, PhD graduates and researchers who meet its conditions. Everyone else needs a job offer, for example from an employer recognised by the IND, or a permit for self-employment or a start-up.

How much does the orientation year cost in 2026?

The IND fee is €254 for applications submitted in 2026, for a first application or a change from another permit. Turkish citizens pay €85, and citizens of San Marino and Israel pay nothing. The fee pays for processing, so it is not refunded if the application is refused. From abroad, you transfer it within three weeks of the embassy appointment.

Can I work during the orientation year?

Yes. You can work or start a business in the Netherlands without restrictions while the permit lasts, and an employer does not need a work permit (TWV) to hire you. If you find a job as a highly skilled migrant, the employer applies for that permit for you, and the lower salary threshold of €3,122 a month applies.

What salary do I need after the orientation year?

For a highly skilled migrant permit, €3,122 gross a month in 2026, excluding holiday allowance, if you apply during the orientation year or within 3 years of graduating, obtaining your PhD or the end of your research permit. This amount does not depend on your age and still applies when you change employers. The reduced EU Blue Card threshold is €4,754.

Can I extend the orientation year or apply twice?

You cannot extend it: the permit lasts at most 1 year. You can get a new orientation year after each completed study programme, doctoral programme or research period, as long as you completed it after your previous orientation year permit expired. To stay once the year ends, apply for another permit in time, such as a highly skilled migrant permit.

Do I need an MVV for the orientation year?

That depends on your nationality and where you live. If you need one and live abroad, you apply for the MVV and the residence permit together at a Dutch embassy or consulate-general, with IND form 9571. If you already hold a valid Dutch residence permit, you apply to the IND in the Netherlands with form 7523 or online, without an MVV.

Does my university abroad count for the orientation year?

It counts if, on the date you graduated or obtained your PhD, it was in the top 200 of at least 2 rankings from different publishers: Times Higher Education, QS or ShanghaiRanking. General rankings count, and so do rankings by faculty or subject in your own field. From abroad, only master’s, post-master’s and PhD graduates qualify this way.

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Official sources, checked 13 September 2026

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 an orientation year application, 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.

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