# How to change employer as a highly skilled migrant in NL Canonical: https://howtoin.nl/change-employer Last reviewed: 2026-09-01 Themes: Work, Residence Time: IND decision period for the notification: 45 days; a 15-day extension can apply in special cases Source: How to in NL (https://howtoin.nl) ## Summary Change to a new recognised-sponsor employer while keeping a valid highly skilled migrant residence permit and continuing to meet the permit conditions. ## Overview A highly skilled migrant permit can continue after an employer change if the conditions remain met. The IND states that both you and your employer must notify it of the change, and recognised sponsors must notify the IND generally within 4 weeks. The IND then checks whether the conditions are still satisfied. ## Before you start This guide is specifically for the highly skilled migrant route. Your new employer must be an IND-recognised sponsor and the new job must keep meeting the highly skilled migrant conditions, including the salary requirement that applies when the new employment starts. Other permits work differently: with a GVVA single permit you or your employer must submit a new application, and if you work on a work permit (TWV) your new employer must apply to UWV for a new work permit. Notification alone is enough only for a defined set of permits, which the IND lists as highly skilled migrant, European Blue Card, intra-corporate transferee under the ICT Directive, and researcher permits. ## Steps ### 1. Confirm your new employer is a recognised sponsor For the highly skilled migrant route, the new employer must be an IND-recognised sponsor for work. **Do this:** Check the new employer in the IND Public register Work before relying on the highly skilled migrant route. > **Common mistake:** A non-recognised employer cannot take over your permit. **Source:** [IND: Highly skilled migrant: conditions](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/highly-skilled-migrant) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/change-employer#step-1 ### 2. Sign the new contract The new job must keep meeting the highly skilled migrant conditions. The salary requirement that applies when the new employment starts can differ by age and eligibility for the reduced criterion. **Do this:** Check the current IND income table against the new contract before the employer change is reported. > **Common mistake:** Salary thresholds change. Use the current IND amount, not a figure from an older article or contract. **Source:** [IND: Current income requirements](https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/change-employer#step-2 ### 3. Make sure the employer change is reported For a highly skilled migrant changing to another recognised sponsor, the change is reported to the IND rather than applied for again. The IND states that both you and your employer must notify it, and that in practice your employer deregisters you, so it is your responsibility to check with your employer that the deregistration has been done. Recognised sponsors must notify the IND of a change generally within 4 weeks. **Do this:** Ask the new employer to confirm how and when it reported your start to the IND, and keep that confirmation. **Timing:** The IND lists a 45-day legal decision period for a change-of-employer notification submitted from 22 May 2026; in special cases this can be extended by 15 days. > **Common mistake:** Do not treat a change-of-employer notification as the same process as every other work permit. Other permit types can require a new application. **Source:** [IND: Sponsor reporting obligations](https://ind.nl/en/obligations-of-sponsor-and-recognised-sponsor) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/change-employer#step-3 ### 4. Keep your permit conditions in view The IND checks whether the highly skilled migrant conditions remain satisfied after the employer change. Keep your current residence document, contract and employer-notification evidence together, and follow any IND request for information. **Do this:** Check the IND decision-period guidance and follow any instructions from the IND or your recognised sponsor before assuming the process is complete. > **Common mistake:** If your residence permit is close to expiry, an extension can create a separate decision period and process. **Source:** [IND: Decision periods](https://ind.nl/en/after-your-application/decision-periods) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/change-employer#step-4 ## Documents - Valid passport and current residence permit - New employment contract - New employer's recognised-sponsor number ## Timing For a change-of-employer notification while the current permit is still valid, the IND lists a 45-day legal decision period for notifications submitted from 22 May 2026. In special cases this can be extended by 15 days. ## Common mistakes - Using this guide for a different permit type such as a GVVA without checking the relevant IND route - Assuming any new employer can take over a highly skilled migrant permit - Using an old salary threshold instead of the amount that applies when the new employment starts ## Next steps - Confirm the new employer is in the IND public register for work - Confirm the new salary meets the current requirement - Make sure the employer change is reported to the IND and keep evidence of the notification ## Related guides - [find-a-recognised-sponsor](https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor) - [lose-your-job-as-a-highly-skilled-migrant](https://howtoin.nl/lose-your-job-as-a-highly-skilled-migrant) - [apply-for-the-30-percent-ruling](https://howtoin.nl/apply-for-the-30-percent-ruling) - [extend-your-residence-permit](https://howtoin.nl/extend-your-residence-permit) - [apply-for-a-gvva](https://howtoin.nl/apply-for-a-gvva) - [check-your-employment-contract](https://howtoin.nl/check-your-employment-contract) ## Official sources - [IND: Changing employer: notify or apply](https://ind.nl/en/service-and-contact/frequently-asked-questions) - [IND: Decision period for change of employer](https://ind.nl/en/after-your-application/decision-periods) - [IND: Current income requirements](https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements) - [IND: Public register Work](https://ind.nl/en/public-register-recognised-sponsors/public-register-work) ## About this document This is a machine-readable rendering of https://howtoin.nl/change-employer. Published by How to in NL, part of Flux Forward (https://fluxforward.world). Last reviewed against its official sources on 2026-09-01. Canonical JSON: https://howtoin.nl/content/guides/change-employer.json General guidance only. Rules can change and may depend on your situation; verify important steps with the official source before acting.