Orientation year permit in the Netherlands: who qualifies and how to apply

The orientation year permit (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden) gives recent graduates and researchers twelve months of free access to the Dutch labour market. You may work for any employer, in any role and for any number of hours, or work for yourself, as long as you apply within three years of graduating and your degree meets the conditions of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). If your future employer is not a recognised sponsor, read our article on the single permit (GVVA).

The permit is valid for one year and cannot be extended. It is a bridge to a longer permit, usually the highly skilled migrant permit (kennismigrant), for which a reduced salary criterion applies if you come from the orientation year.

What does the orientation year permit allow you to do?

It allows you to live in the Netherlands for one year and to work without any restriction. Your employer does not need a work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning) for you and does not have to be a recognised sponsor with the IND.

For many international graduates the main obstacle after graduation is the classic circle: no job without a residence permit, and no work-based permit without a job. The orientation year breaks that circle. It gives you time to look for work, to start working as soon as you find a job, and to build up Dutch work experience.

The freedom is wide. The IND states that you may work freely in the Netherlands, including as an independent entrepreneur, self-employed person or freelancer. You can take on a full-time or part-time job, do a paid internship, combine several assignments or set up your own company.

That makes you easier to hire. A small or medium-sized business that has never dealt with immigration procedures can employ you on the same footing as a Dutch or EU candidate. An employee who holds an orientation year permit can sign a contract and start on Monday, without the employer filing any application.

The permit is not a goal in itself. It lasts twelve months and cannot be extended. The practical aim of the year is to find a job or build a business that qualifies you for a permit that lasts longer.

Who qualifies for the orientation year permit?

You qualify if you completed a qualifying study programme or scientific research in the three years before your application. The IND distinguishes between studies in the Netherlands, studies at top-ranked foreign institutions and research.

The overview below summarises the main routes. The IND checks each of them against your diploma or a statement from your institution.

Orientation year permit eligibility routes

Graduates of a Dutch institution

Most applicants qualify through a Dutch degree. A bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited Dutch university or university of applied sciences is enough, as is a post-master’s programme of at least ten months.

Programmes funded under Dutch cultural policy or development cooperation, such as certain government-funded scholarship programmes, also count. Your diploma, or a statement from your institution that you have completed the programme, is the key document.

Graduates of a top-ranked foreign university

If you studied abroad, you can still qualify with a master’s degree, a doctorate or a post-master’s diploma from a highly ranked institution. The IND requires the institution to be in the top 200 of the general rankings or the rankings per faculty of at least two of these three publishers:

• Times Higher Education World University Rankings;
• QS World University Rankings (Quacquarelli Symonds);
• Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRanking Consultancy).

The rankings are assessed as they stood on the date of your graduation or promotion. A university that has since dropped out of the top 200 therefore does not harm you, and one that has only recently entered it does not help you. A bachelor’s degree from a foreign university does not qualify on this route.

Scientific researchers

If you carried out scientific research in the Netherlands under the EU Directive on students and researchers (Directive (EU) 2016/801), you may also apply. The research must have been completed in the three years before your application. This route lets researchers move from a research post into the wider Dutch economy.

How does the three-year rule work?

You must have completed your studies or research in the three years before the date of your application. You do not have to apply straight after graduation, so you can first gain experience elsewhere and come back later.

An example: a graduate who received a master’s degree in June 2024 can apply until June 2027. In the meantime, that graduate may return home, work abroad for two years and then use the orientation year to start a career in the Netherlands.

The date that counts is the date on which you completed the programme, as shown on your diploma or in the statement of your institution. It is sensible not to wait until the last weeks. If a document is missing and the three years expire while you gather it, you lose the right to this permit on the basis of that degree.

The rule also matters if you have used an orientation year before. The IND allows a new orientation year on the basis of a different study programme or research project, but only if you completed it after your previous orientation year ended. One diploma cannot give you two orientation years.

If your situation is not straightforward, for example because you finished several programmes at different dates, it helps to have the dates checked before you apply. You can also read our article on how to apply to the IND yourself.

Which documents does the IND ask for?

You need a valid passport, proof that you completed a qualifying programme and, for a foreign diploma, an evaluation by Nuffic. Missing or inconsistent documents are the most common cause of delay.

In practice the IND asks for the following:

• a valid passport, preferably one that remains valid throughout your orientation year;
• your diploma, or a statement from your institution that you have completed the programme, with the date of completion;
• for a foreign diploma: the Nuffic evaluation and, where relevant, evidence of the ranking of your institution;
• for researchers: a statement from the research institution about the research and its end date;
• the completed application form and, where required, proof of payment of the fee.

Documents in a language other than Dutch, English, French or German usually need a sworn translation. Documents issued abroad may also need legalisation or an apostille. Check the IND form for the exact requirements that apply to your country.

Having a foreign diploma evaluated by Nuffic

The IND states that all foreign diplomas must be evaluated by Nuffic before they are accepted. Only diplomas from Flanders (Belgium) that are listed in the Higher Education Register of Flanders are exempt.

The evaluation confirms that your diploma is authentic and at the right level. Start early, because an evaluation can take several weeks. Without it, the IND will not assess your application on its merits.

Filling in the application form

You will find the current application form on the website of the IND. It asks for your personal details, your education and a confirmation that you meet the conditions.

Enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport and check every date. Small inconsistencies between your form, your diploma and your passport often lead to requests for further information, and each request adds weeks to the procedure.

How do you apply, from the Netherlands or from abroad?

If you already live in the Netherlands with a valid residence permit, such as a study permit, you apply directly to the IND. If you live abroad, the route depends on your nationality: some nationals first need a provisional residence permit (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV) to enter the Netherlands.

Applying while you are in the Netherlands

Most graduates of a Dutch institution apply while they still hold a study permit. Apply before that permit expires, so that you keep lawful residence while the IND decides. You can usually submit the application online or by post, using the form for the orientation year.

Your institution reports the end of your studies to the IND, which can then end your study permit, even if the date on your card is later. Do not assume that the date on your card leaves you time to spare.

Applying from abroad

If you live outside the Netherlands, you can apply from your home country. Nationals who need an MVV apply for the MVV and the residence permit in one procedure, usually through the Dutch embassy or consulate. Nationals of countries exempt from the MVV requirement, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan, can travel to the Netherlands and apply there.

After a positive decision on the MVV, you collect the visa sticker at the embassy or consulate and travel to the Netherlands. You then collect your residence card from the IND. Plan this carefully, because the MVV is only valid for a limited period.

Fee, biometrics and decision

You pay a fee when you apply. The IND does not refund it if your application is refused, so check your eligibility and documents first. The amount changes every year; check the current fee on the IND website.

After the IND has started processing your application, it invites you to give your biometrics: fingerprints, a passport photograph and your signature. These are used for your residence card. If you applied from abroad, you do this after arrival in the Netherlands.

The IND has a decision period of 90 days, which it can extend in certain cases. A complete and well-documented application is often decided sooner. If the decision is positive, you receive a letter telling you when and where to collect your residence card.

What are your rights and obligations during the year?

You may work freely, in employment or for yourself, for the full year. In return you must keep your affairs in order: register with your municipality, take out the right health insurance and be able to support yourself.

Employment, internships and freelancing

You can accept any job, full time or part time, and any paid internship. Your employer needs no work permit for you. Dutch employment law applies to you in the same way as to any other employee, including the statutory minimum wage and the rules on working hours and holidays.

You may also work as a self-employed person (zzp’er). In that case you register your business with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KvK). You can use the year to test a business idea or to build up a client base, which may later support a permit as a self-employed person.

Registration, health insurance and income

If you stay in the Netherlands for more than four months, you must register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) of your municipality. You then receive a citizen service number (BSN), which you need to work and to deal with the tax authorities.

Once you work in the Netherlands, you are in principle obliged to take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). If you are not working, check whether your existing insurance covers you. Taking out the wrong policy can lead to a fine and back payments of premium.

You should be able to support yourself during the year. A claim on social assistance can affect your right of residence, so discuss this first if you are in financial difficulty.

What should you check as a graduate?

• The date on which you completed your programme, as stated on your diploma or institution statement, not the date of the graduation ceremony; the three-year window runs from that date.
• For a foreign degree: the Nuffic evaluation, and that your institution was in the top 200 of two of the three rankings on the date of your graduation or promotion.
• That you apply before your study permit is ended, so you keep lawful residence during the procedure.
• Registration in the BRP of your municipality if you stay longer than four months, and Dutch basic health insurance once you work.
• Whether your intended next employer is a recognised sponsor (erkend referent) with the IND, or willing to become one.

What should you check as an employer?

An employer who hires you on an orientation year permit does not apply for anything, but must check your residence card. Under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (Wet arbeid vreemdelingen, Wav), the employer must verify that you are allowed to work and keep a copy of your document in its records.

• That the residence card states “work freely permitted, TWV not required”.
• The identity of the employee at the start of employment, and a copy of the document kept in the payroll records until five years after the end of the calendar year in which the employment ended.
• The end date of the permit, so a follow-up application can be filed in time.
• Whether you are a recognised sponsor, or need to apply for recognition first, before you can file a highly skilled migrant application.
• That the salary meets the reduced highly skilled migrant criterion (€3,122 gross per month in 2026) if you want to keep the employee after the year.

The Netherlands Labour Authority (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) can impose a fine if an employer cannot show that it made this check. During the year, the ordinary rules of Dutch employment law apply, including the rules on successive fixed-term contracts in Article 7:668a of the Dutch Civil Code.

Can your partner and children join you?

In principle yes. Your spouse, registered partner or partner in a lasting relationship and your minor children can apply for a residence permit to stay with you, with you as their sponsor.

As a sponsor, you must meet the income requirement for family reunification. You must have sufficient and lasting income to support your family without government assistance. The IND checks this when it assesses the application of your family members.

Their residence permit is linked to yours. When your orientation year ends, their right of residence ends too, unless you obtain a follow-up permit to which they can link their stay. Take them into account when you plan the next step.

How do you move on to a highly skilled migrant permit?

Your employer applies to the IND for a highly skilled migrant permit for you. If you come from the orientation year, a reduced salary criterion applies, which makes you considerably cheaper to hire than a highly skilled migrant recruited from abroad.

The highly skilled migrant permit is the most common follow-up route. It requires an employer who is a recognised sponsor with the IND. The employer submits the application and confirms that you meet the conditions, including the salary criterion.

The reduced salary criterion

For a highly skilled migrant recruited in the usual way, the 2026 criterion is €5,942 gross per month for applicants aged 30 or older and €4,357 for younger applicants. For graduates who come from the orientation year, the reduced criterion is €3,122 gross per month, excluding holiday allowance.

The amounts are indexed every year on 1 January and published on the website of the IND. The gross monthly salary in your contract must meet the criterion on the date the application is submitted.

The reduced criterion makes hiring you easier for start-ups and smaller businesses. It does not change the other conditions: the employer must be a recognised sponsor and the salary must actually be paid.

Timing the application

Apply for the follow-up permit before your orientation year permit expires. An application submitted in time generally allows you to await the decision in the Netherlands. If you apply after expiry, you no longer have lawful residence and your position becomes much more difficult.

Build in time for your employer’s side of the procedure as well. If your employer still has to be recognised as a sponsor, that procedure comes first. Start the conversation about the follow-up permit as soon as you accept the job.

Other follow-up permits

The highly skilled migrant permit is not the only option. Depending on your situation, you may consider:

• a permit as a self-employed person, if you have built up a business that serves an essential Dutch interest, assessed on a points system;
• a start-up permit, if you want to launch an innovative business with the support of a recognised facilitator;
• the European Blue Card, if you have a higher education qualification and a job offer that meets the Blue Card salary criterion.

Each route has its own conditions and its own salary or business requirements. Our overview of Dutch residency permits and our article on work visa requirements in the Netherlands explain the options in more detail.

What happens if the year ends without a follow-up permit?

Your right of residence ends on the expiry date of your permit, and the permit cannot be extended. If you have not applied for another permit in time, you must leave the Netherlands.

That is why the planning matters so much. There is no grace period after the orientation year. An employee who finds a suitable job in the eleventh month may still be in time, but only if the employer can file the application before the permit expires.

If you leave, you can come back later on a different basis, for example with a job offer from a recognised sponsor. A new orientation year is only possible on the basis of a new programme or research project completed after your previous orientation year.

What can you do if the IND refuses your application?

You can lodge an objection (bezwaar) with the IND. Under Article 69 of the Aliens Act 2000 (Vreemdelingenwet 2000), the period for an objection in immigration cases is four weeks from the date of the decision.

In the objection you explain why the decision is wrong, for example because the IND overlooked a document or misread the date of your graduation. You can add documents that were missing. If the objection is rejected, you can appeal to the court.

A refusal often has a simple cause, such as a missing Nuffic evaluation or a date that falls just outside the three years. It is worth having the decision checked quickly, because the four-week period is short and the three-year window keeps running.

What can we do for you with the orientation year?

Our immigration lawyers advise graduates and employers on the orientation year and the move to a longer permit; the official conditions are on the IND page on the orientation year. We can:

• check whether your degree, completion date and ranking meet the IND conditions before you pay the fee;
• prepare and file the orientation year application, from the Netherlands or together with an MVV from abroad;
• plan the follow-up permit and check the salary against the current IND criterion;
• help an employer apply for recognised sponsor status with the IND;
• draft an objection (bezwaar) and file it with the IND within the four-week deadline.

Summary

• The orientation year permit gives you one year of free access to the Dutch labour market, as an employee or self-employed person, and cannot be extended.
• You qualify with a Dutch bachelor’s or master’s degree, a qualifying post-master’s programme, a master’s degree or doctorate from a foreign institution in the top 200 of two of three rankings, or research under Directive 2016/801.
• You must apply within three years of completing your studies or research; foreign diplomas need a Nuffic evaluation.
• A reduced salary criterion of €3,122 gross per month (2026) applies when you move on to a highly skilled migrant permit.
• Apply for the follow-up permit before your orientation year expires; an objection against a refusal must be lodged within four weeks.

Frequently asked questions