Highly Skilled Migrant Visa Netherlands: What You Need to Know for 2026

The Highly Skilled Migrant permit, known in Dutch as the kennismigrant scheme, lets a recognised Dutch employer sponsor a foreign professional without a separate work permit. The catch is a minimum gross monthly salary, and for 2026 that threshold is €5,942 for applicants aged 30 and over, €4,357 for those under 30, and €3,122 for recent graduates applying within three years of finishing their degree.

This is the route most Indian IT and engineering professionals use to work in the Netherlands, and it is faster than most other work visa categories precisely because the salary requirement replaces a separate labour market test.

How the Scheme Actually Works

You cannot apply for this permit yourself. Your employer has to be registered with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) as a "recognised sponsor," and it is the employer who submits the application on your behalf. If the company you are joining is not yet a recognised sponsor, ask about this early, since it changes the timeline.

The 2026 Salary Thresholds

• 30 years and older: €5,942 gross per month
• Under 30 years: €4,357 gross per month
• Reduced criterion for recent graduates: €3,122 gross per month, if you apply within 3 years of your graduation date or are moving on from an orientation year permit
• European Blue Card equivalent: €5,942 standard, €4,754 reduced for recent graduates

These figures apply for the period January 1 to December 31, 2026, and they are reviewed annually, so always confirm the current number on the IND website before signing an offer letter, especially if your start date falls near the new year.

What Counts as Salary

The salary that counts is your gross monthly pay before the 30% ruling is applied, and it must be paid into a Dutch bank account through your employer's payroll. Benefits like a relocation allowance or one-time bonus generally do not count toward the structural monthly threshold, so it is worth asking your employer's HR team exactly how your offer is structured before you rely on a number.

Why This Matters More If You Are Also Applying for the 30% Ruling

Many Indian professionals moving on this permit also apply for the 30% ruling, the tax facility that allows a portion of your salary to be paid tax-free to cover the extra cost of working abroad. The two schemes have separate eligibility checks, so qualifying for one does not automatically mean you qualify for the other.

A Practical Note for First-Time Applicants

Processing usually moves faster when your employer's HR or a relocation service handles the paperwork, since a small error in the sponsor's submission can add weeks to your start date. If your new employer does not have in-house relocation support, ask them early whether they work with an external immigration advisor, and get everything about your contract and salary structure in writing before you make any moving decisions.

Once your permit and BSN are in hand, the everyday side of settling in starts, from finding groceries and food that feel like home to meeting other professionals who moved through the exact same process. DesiBiz's directory exists to make that part faster for the Indian and South Asian community across the Netherlands.

References

• Required amounts income requirements (IND)
• Highly skilled migrant (IND)
• National highly skilled migrant scheme (IND)