Netherlands Work Permit for Indians: Employer Steps and Timeline

Every figure here comes from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and NetherlandsWorldwide, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. IND fees change every 1 January and income thresholds are indexed during the year, so re-check them before your employer files. For short-stay Schengen visas to the Netherlands, see our Netherlands visa guide for Indian passport holders.

Which Dutch work permit will your employer file?

There is no single Dutch work permit that you request from India. The type of job decides the route, and the route decides who files, which salary counts and how quickly the IND must decide.

All thresholds exclude holiday allowance. For the highly skilled migrant route, payment in kind and irregular pay such as overtime and tips also do not count, and the salary must be paid monthly into a bank account in your name. The reduced EUR 3,122 criterion applies within 3 years of graduating, a PhD or research, or after the orientation year. The EU Blue Card also needs a contract of at least 6 months and either a higher-education diploma from a programme of at least 3 years or at least 5 years of relevant work experience.

What does the employer have to do, step by step?

The IND brochure for highly skilled migrants (June 2026) puts the employer's work in a fixed order:

1. Become a recognised sponsor, if it is not one already. The one-off IND fee is EUR 5,080.00, or EUR 2,539.00 for small businesses with no more than 50 persons, and the legal decision period is 3 months. Your employer must appear in the IND's public register of recognised sponsors before it can hire you as a highly skilled migrant.
2. Check the conditions. That means a market-rate salary above the threshold for your age, and BIG-register registration if you will practise a regulated healthcare profession.
3. File the application in writing or online in the IND Business Portal, declaring that you meet the conditions. Supporting documents stay in the employer's file rather than being sent.
4. Pay the IND fee of EUR 423.00. Direct debit is possible, and the IND says complete applications paid this way are often decided within 2 weeks.
5. Wait for the decision and send you the positive-decision letter with your V number.

For a single permit (GVVA) the employer does not need to be a recognised sponsor, but there is an extra hurdle: the IND asks the UWV whether the job serves the essential interests of the Netherlands, meaning no suitable worker could be found in the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe. Roles at religious or philosophical organisations also require you to pass the basic civic integration exam abroad at a Dutch embassy or consulate before the MVV application.

How long does it take from job offer to first working day?

Add up the stages below. The biggest variable is whether your employer is already a recognised sponsor.

With a recognised sponsor and a complete file, the IND stage can take weeks rather than months. A first-time sponsor adds up to 3 months before your own application can even start. With the MVV, a highly skilled migrant may start work immediately after arrival, and the permit is valid for the length of the employment contract, up to a maximum of 5 years.

Where do you collect the MVV in India?

MVV sticker appointments are booked online at the Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi or the Consulates-General in Bengaluru or Mumbai. You may use any of the three, even if the IND letter names another office. NetherlandsWorldwide notes that slots fill up quickly and that cancellations free new ones, so keep checking. The procedure is on the NetherlandsWorldwide MVV page for India.

Bring to the appointment:

• A passport valid for at least 6 more months with 2 empty pages, plus a photocopy of the photo page
• One passport photo that meets Dutch requirements
• A copy of the IND positive-decision letter with your V number
• Any other documents named in that letter, with copies

Passport return by DTDC courier is optional. It costs INR 850 per applicant, paid to DTDC for an Airway Bill number before the appointment, and it is not a visa fee.

What will your employer ask you to provide?

For a work residence permit, the IND lists these papers from the employee's side:

• Employment contract, employer's testimonial, appointment decision or hosting agreement
• Work permit (TWV) or its application where one is required; highly skilled migrants do not need a separate TWV
• A copy of your passport and the antecedents certificate, a criminal-record declaration that is part of the IND form
• A legalised and translated birth certificate, needed to register with the municipality after arrival

Legalising and translating an Indian birth certificate takes time, so start it as soon as you accept the offer. A TB test after arrival also applies unless your nationality is on the IND exemption list. The IND's listed requirements for the highly skilled migrant permit do not include a Dutch-language test.

Which mistakes slow Indian applicants down?

• Counting holiday allowance toward the salary threshold. The IND excludes it on every route.
• Accepting an offer from a company that is not a recognised sponsor and expecting a highly skilled migrant permit. Only recognised sponsors can file it; other employers would need the Blue Card or single-permit route.
• Treating a Schengen visa as permission to work. Even work of up to 90 days normally needs a TWV from the UWV, applied for by the employer.
• Missing the MVV window. Book the sticker within 3 months of the decision and travel within 90 days of getting it.
• Assuming fees are refundable. IND fees are paid on submission and not refunded if the application is refused.

Two dated changes matter for 2026 offers. The new highly skilled migrant and Blue Card salary criteria took effect on 1 January 2026, and the income requirement for paid employment was indexed to EUR 2,337.00 on 1 July 2026 (it was EUR 2,294.40 from 1 January to 30 June 2026), according to the IND's required amounts page. The employer's full procedure is in the IND highly skilled migrant brochure.

Once you are settled, relatives in India who visit you will need a Schengen visa file with a travel reservation and proof of accommodation. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for such files, with packages from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact our team.

Frequently asked questions

Can my spouse and children come with me on a Dutch highly skilled migrant permit?

Yes. The IND says the family of a highly skilled migrant can be included in the employer's application for the MVV and residence permit. Otherwise, family members use the residence permit to stay with a partner or family member, which carries an IND fee of EUR 254.00 in 2026.

Is the IND fee for a Dutch work permit published in rupees?

No. The IND publishes its fees in euros only, and no INR amount exists. The rupee charges on the Netherlands side are the VFS Global service fee for Schengen visas (INR 1,890) and the optional DTDC courier for MVV passports (INR 850).

How long is a Dutch highly skilled migrant permit valid?

It is valid for the length of your employment contract, up to a maximum of 5 years. The salary must stay at or above the threshold that applies to you and be paid monthly into a bank account in your name.

Does the employer pay the IND fee or do I?

For the highly skilled migrant permit the IND fee of EUR 423.00 is paid by the employer, which is the recognised sponsor. The fee is paid when the application is submitted and is not refunded if the application is refused.