If, as an employer, you hire someone from abroad through the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, you mainly need to get three things right: the correct IND residence permit application, an employment contract and salary that meet IND standards, and a practical onboarding process with registrations such as a BSN and Dutch health insurance. This prevents delays, rejections, and compliance risks.
Which exact steps are required depends on the employee’s nationality, your role as a recognised sponsor, and the chosen employment structure. The timing around arrival, municipal registration, and residence document collection appointments also differs by situation and municipality.
Below you’ll find the key questions employers in the Netherlands ask in 2026, with direct answers and concrete actions.
Which permits and registrations do you need when hiring someone from abroad?
For Highly Skilled Migrants coming to the Netherlands under the Dutch Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, as an employer you arrange a residence permit through the IND and ensure the employee completes the most important registrations after arrival, such as registering in the BRP to obtain a BSN. Which additional steps are needed mainly depends on nationality and whether an MVV is required.
In practice, you will usually deal with the following:
- IND Highly Skilled Migrant residence permit (application submitted by a recognised sponsor, or via a structure in which an external party is the recognised sponsor)
- MVV (provisional residence permit) if the employee is subject to the MVV requirement, so they can enter the Netherlands within the MVV’s validity period
- Collecting the residence document from the IND after arrival (the permit is typically granted in advance)
- BRP registration with the municipality to obtain a BSN (the order relative to the IND appointment differs by municipality and situation)
- Dutch health insurance, in principle within four months after someone lives or works in the Netherlands
Also pay attention to practical prerequisites: not every municipality accepts temporary registration at a business address, and the options vary widely. Always check this in advance with the municipality where the employee wants to register.
How do you manage the IND process, and what does recognised sponsorship mean for you?
You manage the IND process by applying for the Highly Skilled Migrant residence permit and, during employment, complying with the obligations that come with recognised sponsorship. As a recognised sponsor, applications are generally processed faster and often completed within a few weeks, provided the file is complete and consistent.
In practice there are broadly two routes: you are a recognised sponsor yourselves, or you work with a structure in which an external party is the recognised sponsor. In both cases, it remains important that your processes and documentation are correct, because the IND assesses conditions such as salary, contract duration, and the employer’s reliability.
Keep these points in mind:
- Nationality determines timing: whether someone can already enter the Netherlands during the procedure depends on the MVV requirement. Different situations apply for non-MVV countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
- Permit validity: this aligns with the duration of the employment contract and the period applied for, not a fixed standard term.
- File quality: lack of clarity about the role, salary components, or start date often leads to questions or delays.
Which salary and contract requirements must you meet for a Highly Skilled Migrant?
For a Highly Skilled Migrant, you must meet the IND salary and contract requirements: an employment contract with clear terms and a salary that at least meets the applicable IND threshold. For 2026 there are three separate thresholds, and you must apply the correct category based on age and scheme.
As of 1 January 2026, the following IND thresholds apply:
- Highly Skilled Migrant ≥ 30 years: € 5,942 gross per month
- Highly Skilled Migrant < 30 years: € 4,357 gross per month
- Orientation year scheme: € 3,122 gross per month
Make the contract and salary arrangements as specific as possible. This helps prevent interpretation disputes and speeds up the assessment. Consider:
- Job title and duties that match the profile
- Start date and contract duration that logically align with the residence period applied for
- Salary structure that is clear: what is fixed, what is variable, and what does or does not count toward the IND threshold
If you are unsure which threshold applies—for example, for an employee entering via the orientation year or who is about to turn 30—document this in advance and align the timing of the contract and application accordingly.
Which practical matters do you need to arrange before the start date?
Before the start date, arrange the practical onboarding: a feasible plan for arrival, appointments for the BRP and the IND, and the basics for working in the Netherlands such as payroll administration and a workplace. This helps prevent a situation where the employee is employed but cannot start smoothly due to missing registrations.
Use this checklist to prepare:
- Arrival planning and appointments: schedule the IND appointment to collect the residence document and the BRP appointment as early as possible. Which step can be done first differs by municipality and situation.
- Housing and address: ensure there is a realistic registration address. Check with the municipality what is possible with temporary registration and which addresses are accepted.
- Payroll setup and payslip configuration: set up salary payments, payslips, and any allowances in advance so the first payment is correct and on time.
- Health insurance and practical explanation: explain that someone who lives or works in the Netherlands must, in principle, take out Dutch health insurance within four months.
- Onboarding documents: passport details, contract, contact details, emergency contact, and internal policies in one package.
Also make it clear internally who owns each step. A single point of contact prevents HR, the hiring manager, and external parties from working at cross purposes.
What are your compliance obligations and duty of care during employment?
During employment, as an employer you must remain compliant with the conditions of the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme and, if you are a recognised sponsor, meet four obligations: the duty to report, the duty to provide information, the duty to keep records, and the duty of care. This means reporting changes in time, keeping your file in order, and actively preventing the employee from falling outside the conditions.
In practice, this often involves the following situations:
- Reporting changes: for example, termination of employment, relevant contract changes, or changes that affect the basis for residence.
- Monitoring salary and hours: ensure the salary continues to meet the threshold on an ongoing basis and that you can substantiate this with payslips and contractual documents.
- Keeping the file in order: retain documents the IND may request, such as contracts, identity details, and correspondence about changes.
- Duty of care in practice: help the employee take the necessary steps on time, such as collecting the residence document and arranging registrations.
If you work with international teams, also define internally when you consider a change to be relevant. This helps you avoid missing notifications due to miscommunication between HR, payroll, and the business.
How All About Expats helps with hiring someone from abroad
We help you hire Highly Skilled Migrants quickly and compliantly under the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme by aligning immigration, employment, and payroll. You get one integrated approach for the IND process, the right salary and contract setup in line with IND thresholds, and a practical plan for arrival and registrations—so you face fewer delays and fewer loose ends.
Depending on your situation, we can support you, for example, with:
- Guidance through the immigration process for employers within the Highly Skilled Migrant route
- Reviewing the contract and salary structure against the correct IND threshold category
- Coordinating arrival planning, the IND residence document collection appointment, and BRP registration
- Back-office support for payroll and compliance during employment
Would you like to discuss your specific case and which steps you need to take and when? Then get in touch via our contact form.
