A common question arises: which residence permit is better, simpler, or more convenient for relocating to the Netherlands for work? With so many visa options available, which one should you pick and suggest to your potential employer?
Work permits — what’s the deal?
Luckily, the process is simpler than it seems: 99% of specialists moving to the Netherlands for work use the highly skilled migrants program (kennisimmigrant in Dutch, also known as knowledgemigrant).
Aside from HSM, there is also a variety of standard work permits available, as well as the European Blue Card.
For standard work visas (GVVA), the process follows the traditional route: the employer must prove that no suitable candidate can be found locally. This procedure is complex and time-consuming, and it became even more restrictive in 2016. Previously, the visa was granted for three years, but now it needs to be renewed every two years with proof of the employee’s unique qualifications. As a result, only companies looking for highly specialized talent typically pursue this route. By comparison, the HSM program is more straightforward and transparent for those who meet the required salary levels.
EU Blue Card
The European Blue Card has also failed to gain traction in the Netherlands. While Germany, which lacks a national system for importing specialists, issues around 20,000 Blue Cards annually, the Netherlands issues only about 200 each year. This can be easily explained: the Netherlands has its own national residence permit system, the highly skilled migrant permit, which has lower salary requirements and does not require a university degree.
Therefore, the Blue Card in the Netherlands is mostly suitable for those who don’t intend to stay long-term and plan to continue working in another EU country. The time spent holding a Blue Card in various EU countries counts toward gaining permanent residence (PR) in the final European country.
Other than that, the Blue Card has no distinct advantages. It’s important to realize that there is still no true European or cross-border residency permit in Europe; all current residence permits are strictly national, regardless of their names.
The process of relocating to another EU country as a holder of a Dutch Blue Card or any other Dutch residence permit is the same, with no special privileges for Blue Card holders in the EU.
Note:
The Blue Card has two significant differences from other residence permits:
- Applicants must provide a university degree (minimum 3 years) that has been validated by Nuffic. This process takes about 2 months.
- Applications for the Blue Card must be submitted on paper, which means the processing time can range from 1 to 3 months. The online application for a Highly Skilled Migrant visa, on the other hand, takes about 2 to 2.5 weeks.
Highly Skilled Migrant Permit
As a result, 99% of foreign professionals coming to the Netherlands choose the Highly Skilled Migrant visa. This is the more convenient option, as the main requirement is a salary well above the Dutch minimum. The documentation is clear and straightforward, the process is well-established, and residence permits are granted quickly without complications.
Another important requirement for hiring a Highly Skilled Migrant is that the employer must be registered as a recognized sponsor with the Dutch Ministry of Justice (its migration department – IND). This registration process is time-consuming, costly, and complex, so many Dutch companies work with payroll service companies that are already authorized to employ individuals and transfer them to the hiring company. This is a widely used practice in the Netherlands.
Recent changes
UPD 03.07.2024: Starting June 12, 2024, these changes will be integrated into the Foreign Nationals Act and the Foreign Workers Employment Decree 2022. The main changes are as follows:
- The EBC validity period has been extended to 5 years (formerly 4 years).
- After holding an EBC for over 2 years, it may be revoked after 6 months of unemployment (previously, revocation occurred after 3 months).
- The minimum salary has been reduced to €5,331 gross per month.
- For recent graduates, the minimum salary is now €4,265 gross per month. A recent graduate is someone who obtained their higher education degree within the last 3 years before applying for the European Blue Card.
- Applicants can now use relevant work experience to confirm their qualifications when applying for an EBC, rather than being required to submit a higher education diploma.
- New reasons for revocation or denial of the EBC include:
- Failure of the employer to meet tax, social security, or employee rights obligations, including compliance with Dutch laws such as WAV, Waadi, or WML.
- Failure to notify authorities of a change in employer, unless it occurred due to no fault of the employee.
- If the company is dissolved due to bankruptcy or ceases to be economically active.
- If the employer established the company primarily to facilitate the relocation to the Netherlands.
A full list of the changes can be found on the IND website.
Conclusion
For most professionals relocating to the Netherlands, the Highly Skilled Migrant visa remains the best choice. It offers fewer restrictions, faster processing, and no degree requirements. The recent changes to the European Blue Card provide more flexibility, but its advantages are primarily relevant for those who plan to work across multiple EU countries.
Still have questions? Check out the detailed resources below or reach out for further guidance!
[…] However, exceptions are made for companies needing highly specialized or skilled workers. The Netherlands has its own national “knowledge import” program alongside a less common European initiative, the European Blue Card program. You can read about the differences between these programs in a separate article. […]
[…] However, exceptions are made for companies needing highly specialized or skilled workers. The Netherlands has its own national “knowledge import” program alongside a less common European initiative, the European Blue Card program. You can read about the differences between these programs in a separate article. […]
[…] However, exceptions are made for companies needing highly specialized or skilled workers. The Netherlands has its own national “knowledge import” program alongside a less common European initiative, the European Blue Card program. You can read about the differences between these programs in a separate article. […]
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