After graduation of Research University or University of Applied sciences in the Netherlands, foreign students are allowed to spend a period of up to 12 months in the Netherlands to find a job as a highly skilled migrant ('kennismigrant'). During this period the graduates have free access to the Dutch labour market.
Not all Dutch companies are entitled to employ highly skilled foreigners. A list of the Dutch organizations, which are allowed to hire highly skilled migrants it is possible to find on the IND website.
From January 1st 2013 the gross annual salary for highly skilled migrants among Dutch graduates was raised to € 27,336 (this amount may be adjusted on a yearly basis).
A job searching year after study
This ‘search year’ is aimed at foreign nationals who have obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a recognized Dutch higher education institution.
If you have obtained a PhD degree, or if you graduated from a university abroad, you may be eligible for the admission scheme for highly educated persons.
There are two admission regulations allowing to foreign nationals to spend a period of up to 12 months in the Netherlands to find a job as a highly skilled migrant.
The procedure for ‘seeking work after graduation’
The ‘admission scheme for highly educated persons’.
The similarities and differences between the two procedures are explained in the factsheet ‘Immigration procedures for foreign nationals seeking work in the Netherlands’ on the website of nuffic.nl.
