# How to find a recognised sponsor in NL Canonical: https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor Last reviewed: 2026-09-01 Themes: Work, Residence Time: IND legal decision period: up to 90 days; the IND publishes no shorter target period for this permit Time-sensitive figures registered through: 2026-12-31 Source: How to in NL (https://howtoin.nl) ## Summary Find an employer authorised by the IND to bring skilled workers to the Netherlands under the highly skilled migrant scheme. ## Overview A recognised sponsor is an employer approved by the IND to hire workers from outside the EU. Only recognised sponsors can bring you to the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant. The employer applies for your residence permit, not you. ## Before you start For the highly skilled migrant route, the employer must be recognised by the IND. You can check this in the IND public register for work, which is updated once a month, so very recent recognitions may not show yet. The job must meet the IND salary criterion that applies on the date of application, and the salary must be in line with the market rate. Depending on your nationality you may also need an MVV (provisional residence permit), which your employer applies for at the same time as the residence permit. Check the current IND requirements before relying on an older salary figure. ## Steps ### 1. Check the public register of recognised sponsors Only employers recognised by the IND can bring highly skilled migrants to the Netherlands. The IND publishes a public register of recognised sponsors for work that you can search by organisation name or KVK number. The register is updated once a month, so an employer recognised very recently may not appear yet; if you cannot find them, ask the employer for confirmation rather than assuming they are not recognised. **Do this:** Search the IND public register to see if an employer is recognised. **Source:** [IND: Public register Work](https://ind.nl/en/public-register-recognised-sponsors/public-register-work) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor#step-1 ### 2. Get a job offer meeting the salary threshold Your job offer must meet the IND salary criterion for a highly skilled migrant. There are three amounts, not one: a higher amount for people aged 30 and over, a lower amount for people under 30, and a reduced criterion for recent graduates who apply within 3 years of finishing their studies or an orientation year. The salary must also be in line with the market rate. **Do this:** Confirm the offered salary meets the current IND threshold for your age. > **Common mistake:** The threshold changes annually, so confirm the current figure, not an old one. **Source:** [IND: Current income requirements](https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor#step-2 ### 3. Employer applies to the IND The recognised-sponsor employer submits the highly skilled migrant application to the IND and pays the application fee. You provide the documents the employer needs. **Do this:** Confirm the employer has submitted the correct highly skilled migrant application and ask what they still need from you. **Documents needed:** - Valid passport - Signed employment contract - Educational or professional evidence **Timing:** The legal decision period is 90 days. The IND publishes no shorter target decision period for the highly skilled migrant permit, including for applications submitted by recognised sponsors. **Source:** [IND: Highly skilled migrant permit](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/highly-skilled-migrant) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor#step-3 ### 4. Receive your residence permit The order depends on whether you need an MVV (provisional residence permit). If you do, your employer applies for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time, and after a positive decision you make an appointment at a Dutch embassy or consulate within 3 months to collect the MVV, travel to the Netherlands on it, and collect the residence permit at an IND desk after the IND writes to you. You do not need an MVV if you hold the nationality of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States or Vatican City. You may start work once the positive decision (kennisgeving) your employer receives says so, which can be before you hold the permit card. **Do this:** If you need an MVV, book the appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate within 3 months of the IND decision, then collect your residence permit at the IND desk once the IND writes to you, and plan your arrival and registration. **Source:** [IND: Highly skilled migrant permit](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/highly-skilled-migrant) Anchor: https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor#step-4 ## Documents - Valid passport - Signed employment contract - The documents on the IND checklist your employer holds (a TB test may be required, depending on your nationality) - Educational or professional evidence (as requested) ## Costs - Highly skilled migrant application fee: €423 (2026); the employer submits the application and the IND collects the fee from the employer by direct debit ## Structured costs - Application fee: EUR 423 (2026). Highly skilled migrant application fee: €423 (2026); the employer submits the application and the IND collects the fee from the employer by direct debit ## Timing The legal decision period for a highly skilled migrant application is 90 days. The IND publishes a two-week target decision period for complete applications from recognised sponsors only for research, study, work experience and European Solidarity Corps exchange. It publishes no shorter period for the highly skilled migrant permit, so plan around the 90 days. ## Time-sensitive facts Registered claims: 1 Earliest expiry: 2026-12-31 Review owner role: HowToIn editorial and release owner For a later period, verify the linked official source rather than carrying an older amount forward. ## Common mistakes - Assuming any employer can sponsor you, when in fact they must be IND-recognised - Confusing a recognised sponsor with a work permit (TWV) - Not confirming the salary meets the current threshold ## Next steps - Sign the employment contract - Let the employer submit the IND application - Plan your arrival and registration ## Related guides - [get-a-highly-skilled-migrant-permit](https://howtoin.nl/get-a-highly-skilled-migrant-permit) - [change-employer](https://howtoin.nl/change-employer) - [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) - [apply-for-the-orientation-year](https://howtoin.nl/apply-for-the-orientation-year) - [apply-for-a-gvva](https://howtoin.nl/apply-for-a-gvva) - [finding-a-job-netherlands-internationals](https://howtoin.nl/finding-a-job-netherlands-internationals) ## Official sources - [IND: Public register Work](https://ind.nl/en/public-register-recognised-sponsors/public-register-work) - [IND: Highly skilled migrant permit](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/highly-skilled-migrant) - [IND: Current income requirements](https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements) ## About this document This is a machine-readable rendering of https://howtoin.nl/find-a-recognised-sponsor. 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/find-a-recognised-sponsor.json General guidance only. Rules can change and may depend on your situation; verify important steps with the official source before acting.