The partner of a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) can live and work in the Netherlands on a residence permit for stay with a family member, and that permit gives free access to the Dutch labour market without a separate work permit. The main exception is that the permit is derived: if the highly skilled migrant’s permit or the relationship ends, the partner’s basis for residence falls away too.
The residence card carries the endorsement “arbeid vrij toegestaan, TWV niet vereist” (work freely permitted, employment permit not required). Below we explain who qualifies, what the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) requires, how the procedure works and what happens if the job or the relationship ends. IND fees and salary criteria change every year, on 1 January and sometimes 1 July, so take them from the IND website when you apply.
Table of contents
What is the partner permit, and what does it allow?
It is a residence permit for stay with a family member, granted because the sponsor holds a Dutch residence permit as a highly skilled migrant. The right to work follows from the residence permit itself, not from an authorisation held by an employer.
- No employment permit. An employer hiring the partner does not apply to the UWV for an employment permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV) and does not have to run a labour market test.
- Any employer. The highly skilled migrant may only work for a recognised sponsor (erkend referent); the partner may work for any employer.
- No salary criterion. The annual IND salary criteria for highly skilled migrants do not apply to the partner.
- Self-employment included. The partner can register a business with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) without a separate permit.
- Study allowed. Learning Dutch or taking a course does not affect the permit.
Who qualifies for a partner permit?
The sponsor must hold a qualifying permit, live in the Netherlands and have sufficient, sustainable income. The partner must have a valid passport, a genuine relationship with the sponsor and no relevant criminal record.
Which conditions apply to the sponsor?
The sponsor must hold a valid Dutch residence permit as a highly skilled migrant, or a comparable permit such as an EU Blue Card or a permit for scientific research, and must have sufficient, independent and sustainable income.
According to the IND, income from employment is in principle sustainable if the employment contract is still valid for at least 12 months from the date of the application. For shorter contracts other conditions apply, such as a sufficient employment history, so check short fixed-term contracts before filing.
Which conditions apply to the partner?
The partner needs a valid passport, must not pose a danger to public order and must have a durable and exclusive relationship with the sponsor. As a rule both partners must be at least 21; if the marriage was concluded before the sponsor obtained lawful residence in the Netherlands, the minimum age is 18.
What counts as a durable and exclusive relationship?
For married couples and registered partners, the legalised and, where required, translated certificate answers the question. For unmarried couples, the IND assesses the documents and a relationship questionnaire that both partners complete separately.
Documentary, dated material carries weight: a tenancy agreement or mortgage in both names, registration at the same address, shared finances, travel together and birth certificates of children. The two questionnaires are compared, and inconsistencies about how the couple met are a common reason for further investigation. The Netherlands recognises same-sex marriages and partnerships on identical conditions; where a relationship cannot be documented safely in the home country, the evidence needs early preparation.
Can children come as well?
Yes. Minor children can be included in the same family application and receive a permit with the same free access to the labour market.
The IND wants to see that the parent has custody of or parental authority over the child. Where the other parent stays behind, that parent’s consent or a court decision is usually required. Adult children need their own basis for residence, which is granted only in limited circumstances.
What is not required?
Three requirements of ordinary family migration do not apply, which makes this procedure relatively fast.
According to the IND, family members of a highly skilled migrant, an EU Blue Card holder or a researcher are exempt from the civic integration exam abroad (basisexamen inburgering buitenland). There is no employment permit or labour market test for the partner’s job, and no income requirement for the partner; income is assessed against the sponsor.
How does the procedure work, step by step?
The application is filed in the Netherlands, usually by the employer as recognised sponsor through the IND business portal, and the IND decides within the statutory period of 90 days. After approval, the partner collects the entry visa abroad if needed, travels to the Netherlands and collects the residence card.
Should you apply together or later?
Filing the partner’s application together with the highly skilled migrant’s application is almost always faster, because both are processed in parallel. The trade-off is that all documents must be ready at once, and a refusal of the sponsor’s application also affects the family application. Applying later gives time to wind up affairs at home, but usually means months apart.
Who needs an MVV?
Nationals of most countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a provisional residence permit (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV). According to the IND, nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City are exempt.
The IND decides on the application in the Netherlands; the partner then collects the MVV sticker at the Dutch embassy or consulate and travels within its validity. Embassy appointments are a bottleneck in some countries, so check availability at the start.
Which documents do you need?
The file contains the passports of both partners, evidence of the relationship, the sponsor’s residence permit, employment contract and proof of income and, depending on the case, an antecedents certificate and proof that earlier marriages have been dissolved.
Foreign official documents must generally be legalised, by apostille where the country is a party to the Apostille Convention, and translated into Dutch, English, French or German by a sworn translator where required. Both steps can take weeks, so start on the day the offer is accepted. The IND charges a fee per applicant, including each child; agree in writing who bears fees, legalisation, translation and MVV travel costs.
What happens after arrival?
The partner collects the residence card and registers with the municipality in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen, BRP). That produces the citizen service number (burgerservicenummer, BSN), which an employer needs for payroll.
In the larger cities, municipal appointments can take several weeks, so book early. The partner’s permit is valid no longer than the sponsor’s permit and is renewed together with it; check that an extension is filed for the partner in time.
What does the partner need to know about working in the Netherlands?
A working partner is treated like any other employee: wage tax is withheld, social security contributions are paid and Dutch employment protection applies from the first day.
The partner does not inherit the sponsor’s 30% ruling. The partner’s own employer must apply, and the partner must meet the conditions, including recruitment from abroad, which someone already living in the Netherlands often does not meet. Law & More does not give tax advice; confirm the position with a tax adviser.
Anyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must take out Dutch basic health insurance within four months; failure leads to fines and eventually compulsory enrolment. A partner who loses a job builds up unemployment benefit (WW) like any other employee, and losing that job does not end the residence permit, which rests on the relationship.
What happens when circumstances change?
Because the partner’s permit depends on the sponsor’s permit and on the relationship, a change in either must be reported to the IND. In most cases there are options if you act in time.
What if the highly skilled migrant loses their job?
A highly skilled migrant whose employment ends while the permit is valid has a search period of three months to find a new job with a recognised sponsor. Since 22 May 2026, someone who has held the permit for at least two years gets up to six months; the search period never runs beyond the permit’s end date.
If a new job is found and the new employer applies in time, the partner’s permit continues. If not, both permits lose their basis. If the partner has found suitable work, the partner’s employer may apply for a highly skilled migrant permit for the partner, reversing the roles. Other routes, such as family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, are fact-specific; take advice when the job is at risk.
What if the relationship ends?
The permit can then be withdrawn, and the holder must report the change to the IND. Whether the partner can stay depends mainly on how long the permit has been held.
After five years of lawful residence, a person may qualify for continued residence in their own right or a permanent residence permit, subject to conditions such as civic integration. More favourable rules apply where the relationship ended because of domestic violence, honour-related violence or abandonment; take advice quickly and do not leave the country while the permit is valid.
What if the application is refused?
You lodge an objection (bezwaar) with the IND within four weeks, not the six weeks of general administrative law (Article 69 of the Aliens Act 2000). After that, you can appeal to the district court (rechtbank) and then to the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State (Raad van State).
Most refusals turn on evidence: a missing document, a translation that was not sworn, a questionnaire answered too briefly, or income that did not appear sustainable. The objection is the moment to put that right, with the additional evidence attached.
What should you check as an employer?
Treat the partner as part of the hire. Check:
- at the offer stage, whether a partner or children will relocate;
- whether the employment contract runs at least 12 months from the application date, so the income counts as sustainable;
- that legalisation and sworn translation of the marriage or birth certificates start the week the offer is accepted;
- whether both applications can be filed together through your IND business portal;
- who pays IND fees, legalisation, translation and MVV travel, agreed in writing;
- that a municipal appointment for BRP registration and the BSN is booked before arrival.
What should you check as the partner?
Check the documents and dates that decide whether you can start work. Check:
- that your passport is valid and your relationship evidence is dated and documentary;
- that you and your partner answer the relationship questionnaire consistently;
- whether you need an MVV and when the embassy has appointments;
- that your residence card says work is freely permitted;
- the end date on both residence cards, so an extension is filed in time;
- whether your profession, such as nursing, needs separate recognition of your qualifications.
What can we do for you with a partner permit?
We advise employers and international professionals on immigration law and the position of the whole family; see also our highly skilled migrant lawyer page.
- We assess in advance whether the partner and children qualify.
- We put the relationship evidence together in a form the IND accepts.
- We prepare and file the family applications alongside the highly skilled migrant application.
- We draft the objection (bezwaar) and file it with the IND within the four-week deadline.
- We map the options when the sponsor’s job or the relationship ends, before the search period runs out.
Summary
- The partner of a highly skilled migrant receives a residence permit with free access to the labour market: any employer, any job, self-employment included, without a TWV or salary criterion.
- The sponsor must have sufficient and sustainable income; both partners must in principle be at least 21, or 18 if the marriage existed before the sponsor came to the Netherlands.
- No civic integration exam abroad is required; apply together with the main application and start legalisation and translation immediately.
- The permit is derived: the search period after job loss is three months, or up to six months after two years on the permit since 22 May 2026.
- An objection against a refusal must be lodged within four weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Can the partner study instead of work?
Yes. The partner does not have to work. Studying, taking Dutch lessons or doing volunteer work is allowed and does not affect the residence permit.
Does the partner need to speak Dutch?
No. There is no language requirement for the partner permit, and family members of a highly skilled migrant are exempt from the civic integration exam abroad. Language requirements can play a role later, for permanent residence or naturalisation.
Can the partner become self-employed?
Yes. Free access to the labour market includes self-employment, so no separate permit is needed. The partner must register the business with the KVK and meet the usual tax obligations.
Can the partner switch employers?
Yes, as often as the partner wants. The permit is not tied to an employer, and a new employer does not need an employment permit (TWV).
How long does the total process take?
The IND has a statutory decision period of 90 days; complete files filed by a recognised sponsor together with the main application are often decided faster. Collecting, legalising and translating documents, embassy appointments and municipal registration come on top.
