Employees who wish to hire you as 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. This procedure takes around two weeks. If the investigation produces a positive result and you meet the other conditions for highly skilled workers from abroad, you can pick up an MVV from the Dutch Embassy in your country. This document will allow you to travel to the Netherlands and pick up your residence permit from the IND.

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If you do not require an MVV, your employer can start the application procedure for your work permit while you are in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant.

The Netherlands has a program for highly skilled migrants. This program makes it even more attractive for Dutch companies to employ highly skilled migrants. Application for this program makes it easier for companies to employ highly skilled migrants and offers highly skilled migrants special minimum salary levels. Furthermore, the 30% rule makes working in the Netherlands ever more attractive from a tax perspective.

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The highly skilled migrant program is not open to all companies. Furthermore, not every highly skilled migrant from outside the EU is eligible under this program. The most important conditions are as follows:

• The employer is recognized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) and has a residence permit (a permanent or temporary residence).

• The highly skilled migrant has an employment agreement with a Dutch employer of a duration of at least three months.

• The employer pays at least the minimum salary applicable to the highly skilled migrant.

• The highly skilled migrant has a valid passport, a healthcare insurance policy taken out in the Netherlands and does not constitute a risk to national security.

If you are coming to work in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant, you will be earning a relatively high minimum salary. Employers must pay the salaries set out in the highly skilled migrant program. These minimum salaries are as follows:

• Highly skilled migrants younger than 30: €3.672 gross per month;

• Highly skilled migrants 30 and older: €5.008 gross per month;

• Highly skilled migrants in their job-seeking year: €2.631 gross per month; These are highly skilled migrants who take up employment in the Netherlands within one year of having completed an accredited study programme at a Dutch institution of higher education.

Procedures: You can only come to the Netherlands to work as a highly skilled migrant if your employer is recognised by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Many highly skilled workers therefore choose to work via Dutch payroll company Holland Employment Experts for our payroll services. We are recognised by the IND and you can work via us for companies that are not recognized by the IND. Moreover, we assist highly skilled migrants with all the paperwork and procedures involved in coming to the Netherlands, such as application for the Entry & Residence Procedure (TEV). Handy for employer and highly skilled migrant alike.

Provisional residence permit (MVV)

If you are from outside the EU and wish to stay in the Netherlands for longer than three months, you will need an ‘MVV’, or provisional residence permit. A residence permit can be applied for directly if you apply for this visa via the entry and residence procedure. You must indicate your purpose for being in the Netherlands.