Hiring a highly skilled migrant in the Netherlands

The Highly Skilled Migrant Scheme is a program offered in the Netherlands to non-EU/EEA skilled workers who wish to live and work in the country for up to five years. It provides an expedited and simplified process for obtaining both a work and residence permit and allows for increased flexibility in changing jobs or employers.
To qualify for the HSMS, candidates must meet specific education and income criteria and receive a job offer from a recognized sponsor employer.

Hiring highly skilled workers can bring a multitude of benefits to an organization. Firstly, they are likely to possess a greater depth of knowledge, expertise, and experience in their field, allowing them to bring new and innovative ideas to the table. Secondly, they are often more efficient and productive, enabling them to complete tasks quickly and to a high standard. This can lead to a reduction in errors, and an increase in output and profitability. Additionally, highly skilled workers tend to be more adaptable and can quickly adapt to changing business environments, meaning they are more likely to stay with an organization for the long term. Finally, their skills and expertise can be passed on to other employees, contributing to the overall growth and development of the organization.

Furthermore, in situations where there is a lack of local talent, hiring highly skilled workers from other locations can be a viable solution. This can bring diversity to the workplace, allowing for a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. In addition, highly skilled workers may be able to transfer skills and knowledge from their previous roles or industries, providing new opportunities for growth and development within the organization. Overall, investing in highly skilled workers can result in numerous benefits for the organization, including increased productivity, innovation, and competitive advantage.

Non-Eu expats can only be hired by an IND recognized sponsor. As a result, you have 2 options if you want to have a highly skilled migrant strengthen your workforce.

To become a recognized sponsor with the IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service) in the Netherlands, there are a few key steps you should follow. First, you need to ensure that your company meets the criteria for sponsorship, which includes having a registered business in the Netherlands and being financially stable. Once you’ve confirmed that your company is eligible, you’ll need to submit an application to the IND, providing all the necessary documentation and information. This will typically include details about your business, your employees, and the highly skilled migrants you wish to sponsor. If your application is approved, you’ll be granted sponsorship status, which will allow you to bring skilled migrants and other non-EU employees to the Netherlands. It’s important to note that the application process can be complex and time-consuming, therefore it is recommended to work closely with a consultant like All About Expats in the early stages of the sponsorship.

Some companies apply for IND recognized sponsorship only when they decide to hire a highly skilled migrant and not beforehand. Application for recognized take 6 months to reach a decision. This can result on the company not being able to hire their highly skilled migrant right away which might put the job position at risk, or even result in a residence gap for the expat in some cases.

To mitigate this, All About Expat offers temporary employership of the highly skilled migrant, which will help the company hire their expat immediately, while benefitting from our consultancy service to successfully become a recognized sponsor. After that, the company can claim the employership of their highly skilled migrant back.
For more information about how to become a recognized sponsor, you can visit the IND’s website.

Payrolling companies like All About Expats, also commonly known as umbrella companies in the United Kingdom, are companies providing a service that allows businesses to outsource their payroll administration and HR-related tasks. This means that the payrolling company becomes the legal employer of the company’s employees, while the employees themselves continue to work for the original company.

The payrolling company handles tasks such as payroll processing, tax withholding, and social security contributions, 30% ruling, as well as providing HR support such as contract management and sick leave administration. This arrangement can be especially beneficial for companies with a large temporary workforce, as it allows them to focus on their core business while leaving the administrative tasks to the payrolling company.