Immigration Services for
Foreign Students

Orientation year highly educated persons

Then an orientation year permit is something for YOU!

Orientation year permit

The Netherlands attaches great importance to giving highly skilled migrants the opportunity and time they need to find a job in the Netherlands after completing their studies.

The orientation year permit allows recent graduates from non-EU countries and scientific researchers to stay in or come to the Netherlands for a period of up to twelve months.

During this one-year period, the graduate can work in any type of job. An application for work as a highly skilled migrant should be submitted before the end of the year.

What are the requirements?

All International Students (outside the EU) who has completed a master’s degree, a PhD track or a postgraduate course at a designated foreign educational institution in the past three years or have a PhD and also have:

achieved a minimum score of 6.0 with the International English Language Testing System; or
obtained a minimum score of 6.0 in another accepted English language test; or
followed the master’s degree, the PhD track or the postgraduate course in English or Dutch.

qualify for the so-called Orientation year highly educated persons.

Designated foreign educational institutions are the educational institutions that, at the time of graduation or PhD, are included in the top 200 of the general rankings or in the top 200 of the available rankings per discipline – which correspond to the discipline in which you graduated or obtained your PhD – from:

Q&A’s – Orientation year highly educated persons

What’s the orientation year about?beheerder2019-06-21T08:08:33+00:00

What’s the orientation year about?

The Netherlands attaches great importance to giving highly skilled migrants the opportunity and time they need to find a job in the Netherlands after completing their studies. The orientation year permit allows recent graduates from non-EU countries and scientific researchers to stay in or come to the Netherlands for a period of up to twelve months. During this one-year period, the graduate can work in any type of jobs. Before the end of the year, an application for work as a highly-skilled migrant should be submitted.

How can I apply for the orientation year while I am abroad?beheerder2020-01-14T08:05:07+00:00

How can I apply for the orientation year while I am abroad?

Depending on your nationality, you may need a provisional residence permit (in Dutch: ‘machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf’ or ‘MVV’) if you want to settle in the Netherlands. An MVV is an entry visa that is required if you want to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days and your nationality or circumstances do not exempt you from the MVV requirement.

You can start the Entry and Residence Procedure (TEV procedure) by applying for an MVV at a Dutch representation in your country of origin or continuous residence, or, if that is not possible, in a country nearby. You can make an appointment through the website of the Dutch representation. You can download the application form (‘MVV issue form’) from www.netherlandsandyou.nl.

The TEV procedure combines the application for an MVV and the application for a residence permit. If an MVV is granted to you, you will automatically obtain a residence permit after arriving in the Netherlands.

Which ranking lists are used to determine whether I qualify for the orientation year with my foreign degree?

The following general ranking lists, current on your date of graduation or obtaining your PhD:

– Times Higher Education World University Rankings

– QS World University Rankings

– Academic Ranking of World Universities

The following ranking lists by subject, current on your date of graduation or obtaining your PhD:

– Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject

– QS World University Rankings by subject (broad subject area)

– QS World University Rankings by subject (specific subject)

– Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects

If your educational institution is, on the date of your graduation or obtaining your PhD, not listed in the top 200 of any of these general ranking lists or in the top 200 of any of these ranking lists by subject, that corresponds with your field of study or research field, you do not qualify for the orientation year.

Visit our Knowledge centre for more Q&A’s

Do I have free access to the Dutch labour market?

You are granted free access to the Dutch labour market during the orientation year. This means that there is, apart from the Dutch Minimum Wage and Dutch Minimum Holiday Allowance Act (WML), no salary criterion and that an employer does not have to apply for a work permit for you. Furthermore, the reduced salary criterion applies to you when you find a job as a highly skilled migrant. This may encourage an employer to hire you.

Want to know more about the orientation year for highly educated persons?

Get in Touch!

We will happily answer all your questions regarding an orientation year permit.

What can we do for you?

All About Expats is specialized in the rules, regulations and possibilities concerning the orientation year for highly educated persons.

As a recognized sponsor of the IND, we can additionally offer you the possibility to continue your employment contract with us after your orientation year. We also take care of the change of status to a highly skilled migrant.

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