Kingdom of the Netherlands · work sponsored · Leads to settlement
Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Source check: all 6 official citations reconfirmed 11 July 2026
Primary sponsored work route for high-skill workers hired by IND-recognised sponsors.
- Processing time
- Typically 2–4 weeks after complete application by recognised sponsor.
- Government fees
- IND first application / change-of-purpose fee is EUR 423 in 2026; an employer that is not already recognised pays a separate sponsor-recognition fee.
- Typical duration
- Matches contract, up to 5 years; renewable.
- Sponsorship required
- Yes
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
As of 8 July 2026, the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) for Kingdom of the Netherlands has a typical government cost of about €423 and typical processing of 2 weeks – 3 months. Sources: official Kingdom of the Netherlands government pages, reviewed 8 July 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/netherlands/highly-skilled-migrant#answer
What is the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) in Kingdom of the Netherlands?
Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) is a sponsor-led Netherlands route. Indicative government fees are IND first application / change-of-purpose fee is EUR 423 in 2026; an employer that is not already recognised pays a separate sponsor-recognition fee; indicative processing time is Typically 2–4 weeks after complete application by recognised sponsor; typical duration is Matches contract, up to 5 years; renewable. This route can lead to permanent residence.
Verified against Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) on 1 July 2026.
Cross-country salary-floor evidence
Cross-country skilled salary-floor, cost and route-basis evidence
The route guide answers eligibility. This layer keeps salary basis, effective date, paid-away cost and source path beside the visa answer.
Local currency first
Salary floors are legal or route-specific eligibility gates, not applicant fees. Do not convert salary floors into USD rankings without caveats, and do not merge salary evidence, employer-side recognition costs, refundable proof-of-funds lines or applicant paid-away costs into one "visa cost" claim.
Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant
€5,942/month (Kennismigrant — 30+); €4,357/month (Kennismigrant — under 30); €3,122/month (Orientation Year search — reduced rate)
Age-banded monthly gross salary bands under the IND Highly Skilled Migrant table.
France Talent Passport salaried
€39,582/year (Passeport talent - salaried qualified employee)
Annual gross remuneration floor for the salaried qualified Talent Passport category.
NOK 545,400/year (Skilled worker permit - bachelor-level salary floor where no collective agreement applies); NOK 624,700/year (Skilled worker permit - master-level salary floor where no collective agreement applies)
Normal pay and working conditions test first; bachelor/master floors apply where no collective agreement controls the role.
€3,937/month (Specialist residence permit salary threshold)
Monthly gross specialist salary threshold, excluding fringe benefits, plus confirmed employment.
| Route | Salary floor and basis | Paid-away applicant baseline | Do not collapse | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of the Netherlands - Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)Cost model | €5,942/month (Kennismigrant — 30+); €4,357/month (Kennismigrant — under 30); €3,122/month (Orientation Year search — reduced rate) | €2,113-€2,908Salary or pay evidence line: €37,464-€71,304. Refundable/show-only line: €37,464-€71,304. | The Netherlands HSM salary requirement is not an applicant fee or sunk cost; IND-recognised sponsor status and sponsor-recognition costs stay employer-side.Employer-side context: Employer recognised-sponsor registration (€2,539-€5,080). | 1 July 2026IND — Required amounts income requirements |
| French Republic - Talent Passport — Salaried Employee (Passeport Talent Salarié)Cost model | €39,582/year (Passeport talent - salaried qualified employee) | €358-€485Salary or pay evidence line: €39,582. Refundable/show-only line: €39,582. | France salary evidence, contract length, diploma evidence and residence-card tax are separate fields in the answer. | 1 July 2026Service-Public.fr - Passeport talent |
| Kingdom of Norway - Skilled Worker Residence Permit (Oppholdstillatelse som faglaert)Cost model | NOK 545,400/year (Skilled worker permit - bachelor-level salary floor where no collective agreement applies); NOK 624,700/year (Skilled worker permit - master-level salary floor where no collective agreement applies)No single route-wide salary number. If a collective agreement applies, UDI checks the collective wage rate; otherwise pay must not be poorer than normal for the occupation and place of work. | NOK 6,300-NOK 8,300Salary or pay evidence line: NOK 0. Refundable/show-only line: none tracked. | Norway must not be flattened into one Europe-wide minimum because collective agreements, normal-pay evidence and education level can bind differently. | 1 July 2026UDI - Pay and working conditions in Norway |
| Republic of Finland - Residence permit for a specialistCost model | €3,937/month (Specialist residence permit salary threshold) | €540-€655Salary or pay evidence line: €3,937. Refundable/show-only line: €3,937. | Finland specialist salary evidence is an approval condition, while the Migri application fee is the applicant paid-away cost. | 1 July 2026Migri - Specialist residence permit |
- Salary thresholds hub
- Salary-floor research report
- Computed figures
- Netherlands salary thresholds
- Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant cost model
- France salary thresholds
- France Talent Passport salaried cost model
- France Talent Passport salaried route guide
- Norway salary thresholds
- Norway Skilled Worker permit cost model
- Norway Skilled Worker permit route guide
- Finland salary thresholds
- Finland Specialist permit cost model
- Finland Specialist permit route guide
- Salary-thresholds JSON
- Cost-to-complete JSON
- How our salary-floor figures compare
Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.
Overview
The Kennismigrant route is the Netherlands' main high-skill work visa. The employer must be a recognised sponsor (erkend referent) registered with the IND. The critical test is meeting the salary threshold, which is age-tiered and updated twice annually.
Recent changes to this route
- Netherlands publishes 2026 Kennismigrant salary thresholds1 January 2026
IND confirmed the 2026 age-tiered Kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) salary thresholds and reduced post-Zoekjaar thresholds.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Indian applicants
Indian tech workers are the single largest Kennismigrant cohort after EU nationals. Credential evaluation via IDW/Nuffic…
Chinese applicants
Chinese applicants must have academic documents verified by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) an…
Turkish applicants
Turkish nationals form a substantial Kennismigrant cohort, particularly in Amsterdam-area tech and finance subsidiaries …
Brazilian applicants
Brazilian Kennismigrant volumes have grown alongside Dutch fintech and SaaS scaling — Adyen, Mollie, Mendix and similar …
Pakistani applicants
Pakistani Kennismigrant applicants concentrate in IT and engineering at Recognised Sponsor employers, particularly in th…
Russian applicants
Russian Kennismigrant applications continue under standard terms post-2022, though SWIFT/banking sanctions complicate pr…
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Employment offer from an IND-recognised sponsor.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
- ✓Gross monthly salary meeting the age-tiered Kennismigrant threshold. Thresholds are updated each January and July.
- ✓Valid passport and clean background.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
Common blockers
- !Employer not an IND-recognised sponsor.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
- !Salary below the age-tiered threshold — particularly strict for over-30 applicants.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Signed employment contract.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
- ·Passport.Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) ↗
Application pathway
Confirm sponsor status
Employer must appear on the IND public register of recognised sponsors.
Sponsor submits MVV/TEV application
For most nationalities, sponsor files the combined residence permit and entry visa application.
Applicant collects MVV and travels
Pick up MVV at Dutch embassy, enter the Netherlands within the MVV validity.
Collect residence card and register
Register at the municipality (BRP), pick up residence card at IND.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceEmployerEmployer applies through IND ↗
Recognised sponsors use this IND page to confirm requirements and start the employee residence application.
Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) · verified
Fees and processing time
A typical Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) application runs about €423 in government fees (single employee, employer already recognised). A decision then typically takes 2 weeks – 3 months. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
Matches these professions
Also explored by
Compare Kingdom of the Netherlands with
Related routes
Orientation year (Zoekjaar)
Free 1-year permit to live and work in the Netherlands while you look for a job — open to recent graduates of Dutch universities or top-ranked global universities. No job offer needed to apply.
EU Blue Card (Netherlands)
Dutch implementation of the EU Blue Card for highly qualified non-EU workers.
Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) entrepreneur
Treaty-based self-employment residence for US nationals starting a business in the Netherlands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kennismigrant salary threshold?+
The threshold is tiered by age: one figure for applicants 30 and over, a lower figure for under-30s, and a reduced figure for graduates within 3 years of Dutch-degree completion (orientation-year transitions). Thresholds update twice yearly — always check the current IND figures.
Can my family join on a Kennismigrant visa?+
Yes. Partners and children under 18 can apply as family members and typically receive unrestricted right to work.
How long does a Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) application take and what does it cost?+
Processing is typically 2 to 4 weeks after a complete application is filed by an IND-recognised sponsor. The government fee is approximately 380 euros or more per application, and the employer separately pays a one-off recognised-sponsor registration. Confirm current figures on the official IND page.
Does the Highly Skilled Migrant route lead to permanent residence in the Netherlands?+
Yes — the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) route leads to settlement. The permit matches your contract for up to 5 years and is renewable. Confirm the settlement requirements on the official IND page.
Why might my Kennismigrant application be refused even though I have a job offer?+
Two common blockers are that the employer is not an IND-recognised sponsor, and that the offered salary is below the age-tiered threshold — which is particularly strict for applicants over 30. Verify your employer's sponsor status and the current thresholds on the official IND page.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in NetherlandsHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)
Last checked: 1 July 2026