Netherlands
Working in the Netherlands After a Degree: Orientation Year Summarised
A summary of the IND's orientation year (zoekjaar) for highly educated persons and the 2026 highly skilled migrant salary criteria, from official IND pages.
By the 47 Fellows team · Bachelor's · Master's · PhD · 4 min read ·
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In brief
This page summarises what the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service, the IND, published, as read on 20 October 2026, about working in the Netherlands after a degree. It is general information, not advice on any person's case.
| Option (as described by the IND) | Who it is described for | Length | Job offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar) | Recent graduates of Dutch programmes, and of designated top-ranked foreign universities | Up to 1 year, not extendable | Not required |
| Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) | Workers hired by a recognised sponsor at the required salary | Set by the permit | Required |
| EU Blue Card | Workers with a degree and a qualifying job | Set by the permit | Required |
Rules change, and the official pages are the final word.
Orientation year for highly educated persons
The IND's publication Coming to work in the Netherlands and its application form 7523 say:
- The permit is issued once, for a maximum of 1 year, and cannot be extended. It can be granted again only on the basis of another qualifying study or research.
- During the orientation year, holders may work without a work permit (TWV).
- Applicants must have completed a qualifying programme in the three years before applying. The routes listed include:
- an accredited bachelor's or master's in the Netherlands, or a post-master's programme of at least 10 months;
- a master's, post-master's or PhD at a foreign institution in the top 200 of at least two ranking lists from different publishers (Times Higher Education, QS or ShanghaiRanking) at the time of graduation;
- an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master;
- a previous Dutch permit for scientific research.
- For the foreign degree route, the form lists proof of the ranking, a Nuffic credential evaluation, and proof of English or another qualifying language.
The form does not list the fee. The IND refers applicants to its website for costs.
Highly skilled migrant salary criteria for 2026
The IND lists these gross monthly salaries for 2026 (the amounts change every 1 January):
| Category | Gross a month |
|---|---|
| Highly skilled migrant, 30 or older | €5,942 |
| Highly skilled migrant, under 30 | €4,357 |
| Reduced criterion | €3,122 |
| EU Blue Card | €5,942 |
| EU Blue Card, reduced criterion | €4,754 |
The IND says the reduced criterion applies to an application made during the orientation year, or within three years of graduating, completing a PhD or ending a research permit.
Official sources
- IND, income requirements: https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements
- IND, Coming to work in the Netherlands (PDF): https://ind.nl/en/forms/3086.pdf
- IND, application form 7523 for the orientation year (PDF): https://ind.nl/en/forms/7523.pdf
Related pages on 47 Fellows
Summary last compared with the IND's pages on 20 October 2026.