Steps for hiring a highly skilled migrant

Coordinate the recruitment campaign to ensure that the content of the job posting is clear and consistent across recruitment platforms. Target where you post the job vacancy. Options include:

• Recruitment agencies that specialize in recruiting abroad
• Brainport Eindhoven job portal (for High Tech/IT positions)
• EURES (for recruiting within Europe)
• International job sites

• Social media

   

Be clear about what you are offering your new international employee. 

Consider which matters you, as the employer, want to arrange for your new employee and any accompanying family members, such as help with arranging accommodation, insurance, and/or schooling. Make clear to the employee which matters you are arranging for them and which they will need to arrange for themselves, such as applying for a Dutch driving license.

The next step depends on the nationality of your new employee. 

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need a residence/work permit as long as they have a valid passport or ID from their home country. They do, however, need to register in their local BRP and be issued with a BSN. This process can be completed at Holland Expat Center South, so long as their employer is a recognized sponsor and they live in one of the participating municipalities. If your new employee meets these conditions, make sure to let them know that they can register using the Expat Center Procedure. Note that non-EU dependents of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens cannot use the Expat Center Procedure and will need to do their BRP/BSN registration at their local municipal office and their immigration procedures at an IND office (the closest option is usually s-Hertogenbosch).

All other nationalities

You need to apply to the IND for the highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) residence permit on behalf of your new employee. The IND has a brochure in Dutch (De verblijfsvergunning voor arbeid als kennismigrant) explaining all about this permit. The application form (Aanvraag voor het verblijfsdoel ‘arbeid als kennismigrant’ (erkend referent)) can be found on the IND website. 

Note:

• Your company or organization must usually be a recognized sponsor (erkend referent) in order to hire an international under the highly skilled migrant residence permit. If your organization is not yet a recognized sponsor, you can apply to the IND for recognized sponsorship. There is a fee for this application.
• You also have the option of using the services of a payrolling specialist who is a recognized sponsor.  This can be a good option for companies who do not wish to become a recognized sponsor yet or for companies who are either intending to apply or in the process of applying, but who are not yet formally recognized sponsors. Go to our Find a Partner page to find payrolling specialists who are recognized sponsors.

Your new employee may require an entry visa (MVV - machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) to enter the country. Some countries are exempt from this requirement. 

If both residence/work permit and MVV are required, you can use the TEV (Toegangs- en Verblijfsprocedure /  entry and residence) procedure whereby you apply for both the entry visa (MVV) and the residence/work permit in a single application procedure at the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in the candidate’s own country. 

If no MVV is required, you use the VVR (Verblijfsvergunning Regulier / regular residence permit) procedure.

In the application form you can choose whether the candidate will collect their residence permit from an IND office (loket) or from a specified Expat Center (in this case Eindhoven) upon their arrival in the Netherlands. By choosing Eindhoven (Holland Expat Center South), the candidate can make use of the accelerated Expat Center Procedure whereby the IND appointment can be combined with an appointment for registration to many North Brabant municipalities. 

Tip: More information about our Expat Center Procedure can be found on our Expat Center Procedure for employers page and our Appointment at the Expat Center page.

• Gather the documentation required for the Expat Scheme (30% ruling), if applicable.
• Ensure your new employee has all the documentation needed for BRP registration, and that these have been translated or legalized, if required.
• Refer your employee to our Internationals Guide and Work and Study pages on this website and encourage them to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

If everything is well organized, the worker feels welcome, settles in more quickly, and can focus fully on their work.

• Apply for the Expat Scheme (30% ruling), if applicable.
• Arrange any other matters you agreed to take care of.
• Direct your employees to our events calendar and our partner, support organization and social club pages on this website.
• Follow the advice in our Onboarding Guide.