Kingdom of the Netherlands vs Republic of Türkiye
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Netherlands operates the IND-administered Highly Skilled Migrant scheme via recognised sponsors, the EU Blue Card, the orientation year for recent international graduates, and a self-employed route under various treaties including DAFT for US nationals.
- Official portal
- Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Currency
- Euro
Republic of Türkiye
Türkiye administers foreigner migration through two authorities: the Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı), under the Ministry of Interior, which issues residence permits via the e-ikamet system, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, whose Directorate General of International Labour Force grants work permits via the e-permit system. Headline routes are the employer-sponsored work permit, the short-term residence permit, and the Turquoise Card (an indefinite work right for highly qualified applicants).
- Official portal
- Presidency of Migration Management (Türkiye)
- Languages
- Turkish
- Currency
- Turkish lira
How Kingdom of the Netherlands and Republic of Türkiye differ
| Dimension | Kingdom of the Netherlands | Republic of Türkiye |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 7 | 8 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 4 | 6 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 5 | 6 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Arrival → PR and citizenship eligibility parallel at 5 years. | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) | Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored) |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | IND legal decision period for Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) is 90 days; recognised sponsors commonly see decisions in 2–4 weeks. | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | — |
| Official languages | Dutch | Turkish |
| Currency | Euro | Turkish lira |
| Primary regulator | NOvA | TBB |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 1 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- IND legal decision period for Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) is 90 days; recognised sponsors commonly see decisions in 2–4 weeks.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Republic of Türkiye
Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 1 January 2026Kingdom of the Netherlands
Netherlands publishes 2026 Kennismigrant salary thresholds
IND confirmed the 2026 age-tiered Kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) salary thresholds and reduced post-Zoekjaar thresholds.
Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) →
Routes unique to Kingdom of the Netherlands
Visa routes side by side
Kingdom of the Netherlands (7)
Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)
Sponsor · To settlement · Matches contract, up to 5 years; renewable.
Orientation year (Zoekjaar)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 1 year, non-renewable as Zoekjaar.
EU Blue Card (Netherlands)
Sponsor · To settlement · Matches contract, up to 4 years plus 3 months; renewable.
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur
No sponsor · To settlement · Initial 2 years, renewable for 5; leads to permanent residence.
Startup Visa (Netherlands)
No sponsor · To settlement · 1 year, non-renewable as Startup Visa; transitions to self-employment route.
Dutch Student residence permit
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Programme length.
Partner residence (Dutch national or resident sponsor)
No sponsor · To settlement · Initial 5 years; leads to permanent residence.
Republic of Türkiye (8)
Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored)
Sponsor · To settlement · Definite permit up to one year initially, extendable; permanent work permit available after eight years legal work.
Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit
No sponsor · To settlement · Up to one or two years per issuance, renewable.
Turkey Turquoise Card
No sponsor · To settlement · Provisional three-year transition period, then indefinite on successful conversion.
Turkey Digital Nomad Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Temporary; tied to the visa and short-term residence period granted on entry.
Turkey Family Residence Permit
Sponsor · To settlement · Up to two years per issuance, not exceeding the sponsor permit duration; renewable.
Turkey Student Residence Permit
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Tied to the period of study; renewable while enrolled.
Turkey Citizenship by Investment
No sponsor · To settlement · Citizenship, subject to a three-year no-sale restriction on the qualifying property.
Turkey Long-Term Residence Permit
No sponsor · To settlement · Indefinite, subject to the conditions of the permit.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Kingdom of the Netherlands or Republic of Türkiye?+
Kingdom of the Netherlands’s Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) is the dominant skilled route; Republic of Türkiye’s Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored) is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Kingdom of the Netherlands or Republic of Türkiye?+
In the last 6 months: 1 logged policy change for Kingdom of the Netherlands, 0 for Republic of Türkiye. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Kingdom of the Netherlands or Republic of Türkiye have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of Türkiye has more: 6 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 4 for Kingdom of the Netherlands. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.