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Residence permit for the orientation year as a highly educated migrant seeking employment

The government feels it is important to give highly educated migrants enough time to find a job or set up their own company in the Netherlands after they have graduated. To this end, they can apply for a residence permit for the orientation year as a highly educated migrant seeking employment or as a start-up.

Applying for a residence permit for the orientation year as a highly educated migrant seeking employment

The residence permit for the orientation year as a highly educated migrant seeking employment came into effect on 1 March 2016. This residence permit is intended for:

  • foreign students studying in the Netherlands;
  • foreign students who graduated from a top university outside the Netherlands;
  • foreign scientific researchers who have carried out research in the Netherlands.

These highly educated migrants will be given the chance to apply for a residence permit for an orientation year within three years of graduating. This allows graduates to return home after graduating and then come back to the Netherlands. But they can also apply for an orientation year straight away.
They can then use their residence permit for the orientation year to find a job as a highly skilled migrant. Foreign nationals are only allowed to work in the Netherlands if they have a residence permit. With the orientation year residence permit, graduates and researchers are free to work in the Netherlands during the orientation year. For an overview of the terms and conditions and the application procedure for the orientation year residence permit, please consult the IND website.