Moving to the Netherlands: Relocation Guide

Recognizing qualifications

When applying for an EU blue card, your employees’ formal degrees have to be evaluated by Nuffic — the Dutch organization for internationalization in education. However, not every kind of qualification can be evaluated. Here’s what kinds of diplomas and certificates they review:

• Those from officially recognized, accredited educational institutions
• Those from study progress that took at least 1000 hours

Certificates and diplomas from short-term programmes and courses, or those received from private education institutions, don’t apply as formal qualifications for Nuffic. Dutch diplomas don’t need to be recognized through this step. Your employees can submit their documents through the website IDW.nl, and usually need to prepare the following: 

• A copy of their diplomas/certificates
• A copy of the grades list of the completed diploma or certification
• A copy of their passport, residence permit or identity card
• In certain cases, A sworn translation of the required documents if they’re not issued in Dutch, English, German or French
• Note: additional documents may be necessary based on the country where your employees received their degree

Permanent residence permit in the Netherlands

After 5 years of employment in the Netherlands, your employees are eligible to apply for a Dutch permanent residency. Here are some criteria they have to cover: 

• Hold a valid Dutch residence permit for 5 years or more directly before the application 
• Have the permit for a non-temporary purpose
• They’ve resided in the country without interruption for 5 years before submitting an application 
• They have registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) in their place of residence 
• They have sufficient income — the number varies depending on the kind of employment, please check here for different examples
• They hold a civic integration diploma to prove they can read, write, speak and understand sufficient Dutch 

The processing times for permanent residence permit applications can take up to 6 months.

Basic insurance

Basic health insurance covers standard care provided by a general practitioner, hospital or pharmacy. An overview of the key details:

• The basic insurance package is mandatory not just for your employees, but also their children
• What services the basic package covers is determined by the government, and this may change annually. The government also decides on the amount of different deductibles and healthcare allowances. 
• Certain care is deductible-free, such as visits to a GP or obstetric care. Other examples include hospital treatment, dental care up to the age of 18, maternity care, limited therapies such as physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and dietary advice, certain medical devices and products.

Health requirements in the Netherlands

Depending on your employee’s nationality, they may be required to take a tuberculosis test upon arrival in the Netherlands, within 3 months of receiving their permit. They can arrange an appointment at the Tuberculosis Department of the Dutch Municipal Health Service (GGD).

A list of exempt countries can be found here. Other exceptions include: 

• Your employee already held a valid residence permit and is applying for a different kind of permit
• They had previously undergone a TB test in the Netherlands, less than 6 months ago
• Your employee has a permit for long-term residence issued by another EU country or is a family member and was already admitted to another EU country as a family member of the long-term resident.

City/municipality registration

• Upon arrival in the Netherlands, your employees must register in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) where they live within 5 days of their arrival. This appointment usually requires: 
• Residence permits and employment contracts, if applicable
• A valid passport 
• Rental contract to register a home address 

If your employees are moving with a partner and/or children, they must also bring their family members to the appointment, and may be required to bring marriage and birth certificates. 

Some municipalities only process registrations via a pre-scheduled appointment. Getting one can take a few weeks and delay the process of getting a BSN (Burgerservicenummer) number. 

What is the 30% ruling in the Netherlands?

The 30% ruling is a Dutch tax exemption for employees who were hired abroad to work in the Netherlands. Under certain conditions, you can pay 30% of their salary as a tax-free allowance. This allowance is considered compensation for the expenses that the employee incurs by working outside his or her home country. Here’s when this can take effect:

• Your employee works in paid employment 
• Their gross annual salary must be more than € 46,107
• They have specific expertise that is hard to find on the Dutch labor market
• They were recruited from outside the Netherlands
• They must have lived at a distance of more than 150 kilometers from the Dutch border, for more than 16 out of the 24 months before their worst working day in the Netherlands. Your talent would not be able to apply for this tax exemption if they have lived in Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Germany, France, or the UK 
• They must submit their application for this tax exemption within 4 months after starting to work for you. This is something we can help with.