Referent acknowledgement obligatory
Only if you are an acknowledged referent is it possible for you to invite a skilled migrant to The Netherlands. As an acknowledged referent you have a number of rights and duties. For instance, you will be able to make use of a quicker procedure and your own declarations. You select skilled migrants who meet the necessary requirements in order to be permitted to stay in The Netherlands and you will inform any possible candidates.
You will apply for acknowledgement as a referent with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). In order to do so you will use the Acknowledged Referent Request Form.
Procedures for the skilled migrant
You will start the TEV procedure (procedure for entry and residency). The IND will research whether or not there are any objections against the admittance of the skilled migrant on grounds of public order or safety. This research will take approximately two weeks. If there are no objections and the skilled migrant complies with the remaining conditions, the skilled migrant will be able to receive a temporary resident’s permit authorisation (MMV) from the Dutch embassy. With this permit he or she will be able to travel to The Netherlands. Once in The Netherlands, he or she may collect his or her resident’s permit from the IND.
Does the skilled migrant not need a MMV? In this case you will be able to start the application for the resident’s permit once the skilled migrant is in The Netherlands.
Employment Permit
A skilled migrant does not need an employment permit.
Income limit for skilled migrants
You will have to pay the skilled migrant an income higher than the set limit
Exceptions on the income limit
The income limit does not always apply when the skilled migrant:
• works at a university or research facility as a PhD;
• is a doctor training to become a specialist;
• is a guest lecturer.
In these cases the income should not be below the minimum wage.
For students from outside the EU graduating from a Dutch institution for higher education, there are different regulations. They have one year to find work as a skilled migrant. If they find work, then for them, the income limit is also in place.
European skilled migrant regulations
Besides the national skilled migrant regulations described above, there are European skilled migrant regulations: The European blue card. It has a higher income requirement and a higher education requirements.