What is the Netherlands Orientation Year?
The Orientation Year (zoekjaar, "search year") is a 12-month Dutch residence permit that lets recent graduates and researchers live in the Netherlands to find work or start a business. It gives full, unrestricted access to the labour market — no work permit (TWV), no employer sponsorship, and no salary threshold.
You can apply within 3 years of completing a qualifying degree, either at a Dutch institution or at a recognised top-200 university abroad. Its most powerful feature is what it unlocks: afterwards, your Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) application uses a reduced salary threshold of just €3,122/month, making the jump to long-term skilled work far easier on an early-career salary.
The permit can only be used once. It does not lead to permanent residence on its own, but the time counts toward the 5-year clock if you switch to a qualifying permit before it expires.
Note: Information on this page is for guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. Requirements change — verify current figures at the official government source before applying.
Do you qualify?
You must meet two requirements. The permit can only be granted once in your lifetime.
You need a bachelor's, master's, PhD, post-master's, or research qualification from either a Dutch higher education institution or a recognised top-200 university abroad (ranked in the top 200 of QS, Times Higher Education or the Academic Ranking of World Universities in your graduation year or the two years before). You must apply within 3 years of completing the programme.
If your degree is from a non-Dutch institution, it must undergo a Nuffic credential evaluation to confirm its level and that the university meets the top-200 requirement — without it, the application is rejected. If the degree was not taught in English or Dutch, proof of English proficiency (e.g. IELTS 6.0) may also be required.
The 2026 salary requirements
The Orientation Year itself has no salary threshold — you can work any job at any wage during the 12 months. The figures that matter are the reduced thresholds you unlock for the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) permit afterwards. All figures are gross monthly, excluding the 8% holiday allowance.
Why this matters: the reduced threshold (€3,122/month) is the single biggest benefit of the orientation year. A graduate who finds a skilled job during or shortly after the year can switch to the Kennismigrant permit at €3,122 — far below the standard €4,357 (under 30) or €5,942 (30+) — making long-term skilled residence realistic on a starting salary. Financial means for the application: you must show roughly €1,200–€1,500/month for 12 months (proof of means, not a salary). Tax note: Dutch income is taxed progressively (36.9–49.5%); once in skilled employment you may qualify for the 30% ruling.
What you need to apply
You apply to the IND — directly if already in the Netherlands on a study permit, or through a Dutch embassy (with an MVV entry visa) if abroad. No employer is involved.
If you do not have any of the documents below, read the FAQs section for further guidance.
Application timeline
From application to permit typically takes 4–8 weeks, though the IND has a legal limit of 90 days. Graduates switching from a Dutch study permit are often processed the fastest.
Most common delay: the Nuffic evaluation for foreign degrees. It must be complete before the IND can approve the application, so start it early — it can take several weeks and is a hard prerequisite for top-200 foreign graduates.
Gather your diploma, Nuffic evaluation (for foreign degrees), proof of means and passport. If abroad, prepare for the MVV process.
Handled by: you
Apply online through the IND portal (if in the Netherlands) or via the Dutch embassy (if abroad), and pay the €254 fee. If switching from a Dutch study permit, apply before it expires to avoid a gap.
Handled by: you
The IND processes the application — a legal limit of 90 days, but often 4–8 weeks in practice.
Handled by: the IND
If abroad, collect the MVV and travel to the Netherlands. Register with your municipality for a citizen service number (BSN), collect your residence permit card, and arrange Dutch health insurance. You now have 12 months of full labour-market access.
Handled by: you
Frequently asked questions
No. It is a single, non-renewable 12-month permit and can only be used once in your lifetime. To stay afterward you must switch to another permit — most commonly the Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) permit, using the reduced salary threshold the orientation year unlocks.
Yes. Your partner and children can accompany you during the orientation year, and family members also have labour-market access during this period. When you switch to a Highly Skilled Migrant permit afterward, they transition as your dependants.
The orientation year's biggest benefit. Normally the Highly Skilled Migrant permit requires €4,357/month (under 30) or €5,942/month (30+). If you hold or have held an orientation-year permit, your application uses a reduced threshold of just €3,122/month (2026). You unlock it by finding a skilled job with a recognised sponsor during or shortly after the year — making the jump to long-term skilled residence realistic on an early-career salary.
The IND application fee is €254 (2026, adjusted annually). Add the Nuffic evaluation (about €130–€180 for foreign degrees), Dutch health insurance (€100–€150/month), and proof-of-means savings (which you keep). Total upfront cost is modest.
Yes. Time on the orientation year counts toward the 5-year continuous-residence requirement for Dutch permanent residence — provided you transition to a qualifying permit before it expires and keep continuous legal residence. If you leave when the year ends, the clock does not continue.
All three are job-search routes with no job offer needed. The Orientation Year is open to graduates of Dutch institutions and top-200 universities worldwide, gives full unrestricted work rights immediately, and — uniquely — unlocks a reduced salary threshold for the follow-on skilled visa. The Germany Opportunity Card is points-based and open to a broader range of institutions; the UK Graduate visa is only for UK university graduates. If you graduated from a Dutch or top-200 institution, the Orientation Year is one of the most flexible post-study routes in Europe.
To switch to the Highly Skilled Migrant permit you need a job with an employer on the IND's register of recognised sponsors, paying at least the reduced threshold (€3,122/month). Every job listed on Workbeyond is from employers who sponsor international talent to work in the Netherlands. Use the filters to line up recognised-sponsor roles — ideally interviewing before your orientation year begins, so you spend less of the 12 months searching.
Find visa-sponsored jobs in Netherlands
Every job listed on Workbeyond is from an employer who sponsors international workers. Lining up a recognised-sponsor role early is the key to converting your orientation year into a Highly Skilled Migrant permit. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city and seniority level.
Planning a move? See the Netherlands destination guide.