For highly skilled migrants, ICT-permits, and blue card holders

The Dutch salary criteria for highly skilled migrants and Intra Corporate Transfer (ICT) permits will be adjusted. Per January 1st, 2024, the following salary criteria will be applicable to this category of employees.

Salary criteria 2024

All new applications for residence permits for highly skilled migrants as of 1 January 2024 will need to meet these new salary criteria. The salary norms mentioned above are also relevant for applications to be filed for the ICT residence work permits for short stay highly skilled migrants.

Please note that the above listed salary criteria are:

• age based (with an exemption of the reduced salary norm); and
• gross per month, excluding 8% of holiday allowance.

Reduced salary norm

The reduced salary criterion applies in the following three cases:

• residence permit is applied for during, or immediately after the residence permit for an orientation year for highly educated individuals.
• the employee in question no longer has a residence permit for an orientation year for highly educated persons but did have this permit. The residence permit for a highly skilled migrant has been applied within 3 years after the graduation date or date of the doctoral defense ceremony. Or it is applied within 3 years after the date on which the residence permit for research expired.
• the employee in question has never had a residence permit for an orientation year but does meet the requirements for that residence purpose. For example, because the employee has graduated, obtained a doctoral degree or has done research in accordance with the applicable requirements. The application for the residence permit must be submitted within 3 years after the graduation date or date of the doctoral defense ceremony. Or it must be submitted within 3 years after the date on which the residence permit for research expired.

Consequently, for the applications filed in the current year (2023) with a start date in 2023 the salary criteria of current year (2023) are still applicable, see below.

Salary criteria 2023

In case you have any additional questions, feel free to contact our global mobility services team.

Extension of permits

The salary criterion for the year in which the residence permit has been applied for will remain in force until the residence permit has to be renewed. For example, if a residence permit has been applied for in 2023 for a period of 2 years, the salary criterion of 2023 will remain applicable until 2025. In the case of the extension, the new applicable salary norm of 2025 must be taken into account. However, if the employee has started employment when he was younger than 30 and his residence permit will be extended with the same employer, the salary norm for people younger than 30 of the year in which extension will be filed remains applicable. For example: if an employee has started in January 2023 and received a residence permit for 1 year with a salary norm of EUR 3,672 (he was younger than 30), became 30 in March 2023, his current employer can use the salary norm 2024 for individuals younger than 30 (EUR 3,909) to extend his residence permit. This is only applicable if the employee will remain working for the same employer. If the employee changes his employer while he is over 30, his new employer will be obliged to use the salary norm for individuals of 30 years and older (EUR 5,331).

In case of any questions our Global Mobility Department will be happy to help. Please do not hesitate to contact us.