As an employer, when a foreign employee joins you, there are three things you typically need to arrange yourself: a correct immigration application under the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, an employment contract and salary that meet IND standards, and a practical onboarding covering registration and insurance. This prevents delays, mistakes, and compliance risks.
Which steps fall to you exactly depends on the setup: whether you are a recognised sponsor yourself, or whether the employment is arranged through an external party. Nationality also matters—for example, whether someone requires an MVV or not.
Below you’ll find the most frequently asked questions per phase, with direct answers and concrete actions.
What do you need to arrange as an employer before a foreign employee arrives?
Before arrival, as an employer you put the basics in place for a fast start: a signed contract, a salary and role that fit within the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, and a plan for immigration, housing, and onboarding. This helps prevent the employee from being unable to travel, unable to start, or having to correct salary and documents later.
Work this out practically in a short checklist you can tick off internally:
- Contract and start date aligned with the expected IND processing time and travel planning
- Salary agreement that demonstrably meets the correct IND standard for the category
- Role and duties clearly described so they match the profile of a Highly Skilled Migrant
- Documents requested from the employee, such as a passport copy and any legalisations if required
- Onboarding plan including the first working day, IT access, a buddy, and appointments with the municipality and the IND
Also pay attention to practical timing: if someone requires an MVV, the employee must travel to the Netherlands within the MVV’s validity period and then collect the residence document.
Which immigration and IND steps do you need to handle yourself (and when)?
Under the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, the employer applies for the residence permit with the IND and manages the timing around the start date and entry to the Netherlands. If you are a recognised sponsor, there are also fixed obligations. Applications submitted by recognised sponsors are generally processed faster and are often completed within a few weeks.
Plan the steps in this order as a workable baseline, and adjust to the employee’s situation:
- Check that the route is correct: the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, not another route such as the GVVA
- Confirm sponsorship: are you a recognised sponsor yourselves, or is this handled via an external recognised sponsor
- Submit the application with the correct contract and the correct salary information
- Align entry to the Netherlands: whether someone can enter earlier depends on nationality; MVV-required and non-MVV countries have different situations
- After arrival: the employee collects the residence document from the IND and arranges registration with the municipality; which step comes first varies by municipality and situation
If you are a recognised sponsor, you have four obligations: the duty to report, the duty to provide information, the duty to keep records, and the duty of care. Set this up in advance so you don’t have to improvise later when changes occur, such as a role change, salary adjustment, or termination of employment.
What do you need to arrange around salary, payroll, and employment conditions for an international employee?
For an international employee under the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme, you need to set up salary and payroll so that the salary demonstrably meets the correct IND standard, payments are made correctly and on time, and employment conditions are clearly and consistently documented. This helps ensure IND compliance and prevents discussions about net salary, deductions, and allowances.
For 2026, use the correct salary category, as there are multiple standards. As of 1 January 2026, the following IND standards 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
Also document internally how you handle common payroll questions for expats, such as holiday allowance, expense reimbursements, bonus arrangements, and any international components. Make sure your agreements align with the contract and that you process them consistently on the payslip.
Practical tip: have HR and payroll do a short check together before the first payroll run, so you avoid corrections later that may raise questions during IND checks or internal audits.
Which practical matters do you need to organise as an employer upon arrival and during onboarding?
Upon arrival, as an employer you organise onboarding that is immediately workable: a dedicated point of contact, a plan for registration and the residence document, and a ready-to-go workplace. This helps limit productivity loss in the first weeks and reduces stress for the employee, especially if housing and administration are still in progress.
Make onboarding concrete with a short action list for week 1:
- Day 1: review the contract and policies, provide access to systems, explain the team and expectations
- Administration: schedule appointments for municipal registration and collecting the residence document from the IND as soon as possible after arrival
- BSN and banking: without a BSN many processes become difficult, so plan this proactively
- Health insurance: anyone living or working in the Netherlands generally must take out Dutch health insurance within four months
- Housing and address: check in time what the municipality accepts, as options for temporary registration vary widely by municipality
If you are working with a start date that is tight against the schedule, build in buffer time for appointments with the municipality and the IND. Availability differs by location and season, which affects how quickly someone is fully set up administratively.
How do you prevent compliance risks and fines when employing foreign employees?
You prevent compliance risks by standardising your process: check in advance that the employee falls under the correct residence route, ensure salary and contract meet IND requirements, and keep demonstrable records of your sponsor obligations. This reduces the chance of errors that can lead to rework, delays, or sanctions during inspections.
Set up at least the following elements:
- File building: store contracts, salary agreements, identity documents, and relevant communication in a structured way
- Change process: define who reports changes such as salary, role, hours, or end of employment
- Internal checks: have HR, payroll, and the hiring manager review together before the start date and with every change
- Duty of care in practice: ensure the employee knows which steps are required after arrival and who can help with questions
Pay extra attention in situations where you want to scale up quickly. That’s when deviations tend to creep into contract templates, salary components, or start dates—while IND compliance requires consistency and demonstrability.
How All About Expats helps with the arrival of a foreign employee
We help you organise the arrival of Highly Skilled Migrants to the Netherlands smoothly and compliantly by combining immigration, employment, payroll, and relocation in one approach. This means you get one plan for IND steps, salary standards, onboarding, and administration—tailored to nationality and your role as a recognised sponsor or client.
- Immigration via the Highly Skilled Migrant scheme including guidance on the residence permit application and planning around entry and collecting the residence document
- Support for employers with sponsor obligations such as the duty to report, the duty to provide information, the duty to keep records, and the duty of care
- Payroll and employment so salary, payslips, and contractual agreements align with IND standards and your internal policies
Would you like to discuss your situation or create a concrete plan? Get in touch via contact us or view our approach to immigration for employers.
