Change of employer when your residence permit is still valid

Highly Skilled Migrants are allowed to change employers while their residence permit is till valid. The residence permit continues as long as you fulfil the conditions, even if you change employer or obtain another position.

If you no longer work for the employer or change your position, your employer must pass this information onto the IND.

Have you found another job?
Then you must inform the IND yourself of your new employer. You must do so within 4 weeks.
The IND will then review whether the conditions are still being fulfilled.

When your employer terminates your contract before the end date, the IND gives you 3 months to find a new employer and apply for an extension for your residence permit. If you do not find a job within these 3 months, you must leave the country. You can find more information about your rights as a highly skilled migrant and what you can do in case your company terminates your contract before the end date, and what steps you can take next in our article losing your job in the Netherlands.

How about the 30% facility when I switch from employer?

An employee who already has the 30% ruling can switch to a new employer and benefit from the 30%-ruling again (for the time left). The period between the one employment and the other may not exceed three months. A new application for the 30%-ruling is required.

Launch Your Career as a Highly Skilled Migrant

 If you are living in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant, qualify for the highly skilled migrant visa, or coming off your orientation year (zoekjaar) and looking for work as a highly skilled migrant, All About Expats can help.

Finding a new employer who is not a recognized sponsor

When you find a new employer and would like to start working with them, they must be a recognized sponsor of the IND. If not, your application for the Highly Skilled Migrant visa will be revoked. But this does not mean that you cannot work for them.

All About Expats is a recognized sponsor of the IND

We, All About Expats, are a recognized sponsor of the IND and we can help you work for this company by offering you and your company a secondment solution. This means that you will be on our payroll while being employed by your own company and carry on your daily activities.
You can learn more about this by visiting our IND Sponsorship page, or by contacting us directly via email or phone. You can ask us any questions you have and we will be glad to assist you further.

Which amount applies to me as a highly skilled migrant when I change employers?

Some of the questions we frequently get are, what is the minimum salary that I should be getting if I start working in the Netherlands before I am 30 and switched employers after 30 years old. Or, would the minimum salary criterion still apply to me if I turn 30 and switch employers?

We have prepared an overview that will answer all your questions regarding salary requirements when changing employers for all highly skilled migrant criteria and the EU blue card.

Highly Skilled Migrants

After orientation year

Highly skilled migrant after residence permit orientation year

or without residence permit but meeting requirements for orientation year.

First application for residence permit

Required amount for reduced salary criterion valid on date of first application.

Application extension of validity residence permit

(Indexed*) required amount for reduced salary criterion valid on date of extension application.

When changing sponsor

(Indexed*) required amount for reduced salary criterion valid on date of change.

*: the indexed salary of that specific year when you are changing employers. Every year the salary criterion is revised.

Highly Skilled Migrants

Aged under 30

Highly skilled migrant aged under 30

First application for residence permit

Required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants under 30 valid on date of first application.

Application extension of validity residence permit

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants under 30 valid on date of extension application. Also applies to highly skilled migrants over 30 now if still working for the same sponsor since the first residence permit.

When changing sponsor

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants under 30 valid on date of change. This only applies if migrants are still under 30. Otherwise the (indexed*) required amount for migrants aged 30 and older applies.

*: the indexed salary of that specific year when you are changing employers. Every year the salary criterion is revised.

Highly Skilled Migrants

Aged 30 or older

Highly skilled migrant aged 30 older

First application for residence permit

Required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants aged 30 or older valid on date of first application.

Application extension of validity residence permit

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants aged 30 or older valid on date of extension application.

When changing sponsor

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants aged 30 and older on date of change.

*: the indexed salary of that specific year when you are changing employers. Every year the salary criterion is revised.

Highly Skilled Migrants

European Blue Card

European Blue Card

First application for residence permit

Required amount salary criterion for highly skilled migrants for European Blue Card on date of first application.

Application extension of validity residence permit

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for European Blue Card on date of extension application.

When changing sponsor

(Indexed*) required amount salary criterion for European Blue Card on date of change.

*: the indexed salary of that specific year when you are changing employers. Every year the salary criterion is revised.