Workforce Mobility & Immigration in Netherlands
Highly Skilled Migrant, EU Blue Card and ICT permit applications, salary threshold compliance, and proof-of-payment documentation management.
NetherlandsCurrency
EUR
EU/EEA/Swiss nationals
No visa or work permit required
Main non-EU route
EU Blue Card — €4,754/month reduced rate — 2026, excluding holiday allowance
Registration deadline
Typically within 1–2 weeks of arrival
Housing — single employee
~€1,800–2,400/month (1-bed, central)
Housing — family of four
~€2,800–3,800/month (3-bed)
Moving workforce into Netherlands
The Netherlands applies a two-bracket corporate tax system: 19% on the first €200,000 of taxable profit, rising to 25.8% above that threshold — a structure that has remained stable into 2026 and is comparatively favourable for small and mid-sized operating subsidiaries. The BV (Besloten Vennootschap) carries no statutory minimum capital requirement, making entity formation administratively light by EU standards.
Discuss your Netherlands relocation planFreedom of movement, and the route for everyone else
Nationals of EU and EEA member states, and Switzerland, have full freedom of movement into Netherlands: no visa and no work permit are required, though address and tax registration is still expected shortly after arrival.
For third-country nationals, The Highly Skilled Migrant scheme and EU Blue Card are the main routes for non-EU hires, via a recognized sponsor employer The EU Blue Card salary threshold is €4,754/month reduced rate — 2026, excluding holiday allowance.
Confirm the right route for a hireWhat sits with the company
Once the right to work is confirmed, payroll registration follows — see our Payroll & Workforce Management in Netherlands guide for the employer registration steps that come next.
Set up a relocation processWhat it costs to house a relocating employee
Figures below are indicative for Amsterdam, Netherlands's primary market for relocating employees — a company relocating multiple staff should budget by destination city, not a single national number.
| Item | Single employee | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Typical apartment | 1-bedroom | 3-bedroom |
| Rent (Amsterdam) | ~€1,800–2,400/month (1-bed, central) | ~€2,800–3,800/month (3-bed) |
| Security deposit | Typically 1–3 months' rent | Typically 1–3 months' rent |
Frequently asked questions
Talk to a Netherlands mobility expert
The Dutch skilled-migrant system rewards employers who treat salary threshold compliance as a continuous obligation, not a one-time check at the visa application stage. Thresholds change annually, apply retroactively to new employment contracts even mid-permit, and are now verified against actual bank transfers — a gap between contracted and paid salary that surfaces during inspection is treated as a compliance failure, not an administrative oversight.