What salary must a skilled migrant
receive under the skilled migrant
scheme?

Employers who want to apply the skilled migrant scheme for a foreign worker are only allowed to do so if that worker receives at least a certain gross salary each month. Under the skilled migrant scheme, the employer does not require a combined residence and work permit or an employment permit. We set out the rules and salary requirements on this for you as an employer.

From 1 January 2021, these salary requirements are set as follows:

• Skilled migrants under 30 years of age: €3,484.
• Skilled migrants aged 30 years of age and above: €4,752.
• Skilled migrants who start working in the Netherlands within three years of completing an accepted bachelor’s, master’s or postgraduate degree: €2,497.
• Holder of a European Blue Card (EU Blue Card): €5,567.

Please note that the amounts all exclude the holiday allowance to which the worker is entitled.

What counts towards the salary criterion?

The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) counts expense allowances and fixed allowances (such as a thirteenth month). The following conditions apply:

• The allowances are in the contract.
• The fees and allowances are transferred each month to a bank account in the name of the skilled migrant or EU Blue Card holder.

The following salary components do not count:

• Holiday allowance.
• The value of salary paid in kind.
• Irregular wages that are not certain to be paid, e.g. overtime pay, tips and benefits from funds

Work permit not required under skilled migrant scheme

Employers do not need a combined residence and work permit or an employment permit for skilled migrants. The same applies to workers with an EU Blue Card. This includes the additional requirement that the worker has completed an education at a Dutch college or university or an equivalent education abroad. In addition, the salary of workers with an EU Blue Card must be at least €5,567 (excluding holiday allowance) by 2021.

Becoming an authorised sponsor

A skilled migrant is someone who your organisation hires as a foreign worker from outside the European Union (EU) because of their technical or scientific knowledge. For a skilled migrant to come to the Netherlands, your organisation must be designated as an authorised sponsor by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). In that case, as an employer, you have a certain duty of information, administration and care. Your organisation will also appear in the public register of authorised sponsors and can apply for residence permits for the skilled migrant.