Business immigration to the Netherlands: which permit do you need?

Business immigration to the Netherlands runs through a small number of residence permits, and the right choice depends on who you are: an employee, a transferred manager, a self-employed person or a founder. For most employers the main route is the highly skilled migrant permit (kennismigrant), which requires the employer to be a recognised sponsor with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The main exception: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not need a residence or work permit at all.

Below we answer the seven questions we are asked most often: which permits exist, who qualifies, what the employer must arrange, how long it takes and where applications fail. More background is in our guides on Dutch immigration law and Dutch residence permits.

1. Which permits exist for business immigration?

The Aliens Decree 2000 (Vreemdelingenbesluit 2000, Vb) provides separate residence purposes for work and business. The most common are:

• Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant), Article 3.30a Vb: for employees of a recognised sponsor who earn at least the IND salary threshold.
• European Blue Card, Article 3.30b Vb: for employees with higher professional qualifications and a contract for a highly qualified job, with its own salary threshold.
• Intra-corporate transfer (ICT), Article 3.30d Vb: for managers, specialists and trainee employees temporarily transferred from a group company outside the EU.
• Self-employed person, Article 3.30 Vb: for entrepreneurs whose business serves an essential Dutch interest, assessed with a points system.
• Start-up permit: for founders of an innovative business working with a recognised facilitator.

The permit for wealthy foreign investors (vermogende vreemdeling) has been abolished, so a pure investment route no longer exists. Investors who want to live here must qualify through one of the routes above.

2. Who qualifies as a highly skilled migrant?

A highly skilled migrant needs an employment contract with a recognised sponsor and a fixed gross monthly salary of at least the applicable threshold, excluding holiday allowance. The rules are in Article 2.1 of the Decree implementing the Foreign Nationals Employment Act 2022 (Besluit uitvoering Wet arbeid vreemdelingen 2022).

There are separate thresholds for migrants aged 30 or older, for those under 30, and a reduced threshold for recent graduates who held an orientation year permit. The IND indexes the amounts every year on 1 January and publishes them on ind.nl; always check the current figure before signing the contract.

A highly skilled migrant does not need a separate work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV) from UWV: the residence permit allows the work for the sponsor.

3. What must the employer arrange?

The employer must first be recognised as a sponsor (erkend referent) by the IND under Article 2c of the Aliens Act 2000 (Vreemdelingenwet 2000, Vw). The IND decides on that request within three months, and the recognition is valid for an indefinite period.

A recognised sponsor applies on behalf of the employee and takes on duties: keeping records, providing information and reporting changes, such as the end of the employment, to the IND. If it fails to comply, the IND can impose a fine or suspend or withdraw the recognition.

For other employees outside the highly skilled migrant and Blue Card routes, the employer usually needs a work permit from UWV or a combined residence and work permit (GVVA). UWV then checks, among other things, whether suitable staff are available in the Netherlands or the EU.

4. What applies to self-employed persons and founders?

A self-employed person can obtain a residence permit if the business serves an essential Dutch interest, provides sufficient and lasting income, and meets the professional and business requirements (Article 3.30(1) Vb). The essential Dutch interest is assessed with a points system set by ministerial regulation, covering personal experience, the business plan and the added value for the Netherlands.

Nationals of the United States and Japan can rely on bilateral treaties with lighter conditions. A founder of an innovative start-up can first apply for a start-up permit with a recognised facilitator. Our article on the self-employment visa explains these routes in detail.

5. Is an entry visa (MVV) required before travelling?

That depends on nationality. Nationals of many countries need a provisional residence permit (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV) to enter; without a matching MVV the IND can refuse the residence permit (Article 16(1)(a) Vw).

EU/EEA citizens and nationals of the countries designated by ministerial regulation under Article 17(1)(a) Vw are exempt from the MVV requirement; the IND publishes the list. For them, the sponsor can apply for the residence permit while they are already in the Netherlands.

6. How long does the procedure take?

The IND must decide on an application for a residence permit within 90 days (Article 25(1) Vw). In practice, applications by a recognised sponsor for a highly skilled migrant are usually decided faster.

Plan the steps in order: sponsor recognition (decided within three months), then the application for the employee, then collection of the MVV at the embassy and the residence card. Since 15 April 2025 the IND no longer owes an administrative penalty for late decisions; you can still go to court if the IND exceeds the deadline.

7. Where do applications go wrong?

Most refusals concern formal requirements rather than the merits. The common problems are:

• A salary below the threshold, for example because allowances or holiday pay were counted.
• Applying under a route the employer cannot use, such as the highly skilled migrant route without sponsor recognition.
• Missing or unlegalised documents, such as diplomas for the Blue Card or the business plan for the self-employed permit.
• Changes not reported to the IND, such as a new job or reduced salary, which can lead to withdrawal of the permit.

Against a refusal you can file an objection (bezwaar) with the IND within four weeks; for most other government decisions the period is six weeks.

What should you check as an employer?

• Whether you are a recognised sponsor with the IND, or need to apply first.
• Which route fits the job: highly skilled migrant, Blue Card, ICT or a UWV work permit.
• Whether the fixed gross salary meets the current IND threshold without holiday allowance.
• Whether the employee’s nationality requires an MVV.
• Your record-keeping and reporting duties as a sponsor, including reporting the end of employment.

What should you check as an employee or entrepreneur?

• Whether your employer is a recognised sponsor and which permit it will apply for.
• Whether your salary meets the threshold for your age group.
• Whether you need an MVV before travelling.
• For self-employment: whether your business plan scores enough points and your income is sufficient.
• Whether your family members can join you and under which conditions.

What can we do for you with business immigration?

Our immigration lawyers and highly skilled migrant team assist employers, employees and entrepreneurs.

• We determine which permit route fits the employee or business.
• We prepare the application for sponsor recognition with the IND.
• We check the employment contract and salary against the current IND thresholds.
• We prepare the business plan and file for the self-employed or start-up permit.
• We draft the objection (bezwaar) and file it with the IND within the four-week deadline.

Summary

• EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need no permit; others need a residence permit that matches their purpose.
• The highly skilled migrant permit requires a recognised sponsor and a salary above the annually indexed IND threshold.
• Blue Card, ICT, self-employed and start-up permits each have their own conditions.
• The IND decides within 90 days; sponsor recognition within three months.
• Object to a refusal within four weeks.

Frequently asked questions