If you have successfully finished your higher educational study programme (Bachelor's or Master's programme) in the Netherlands, you may apply for an orientation year for graduates. This orientation year enables you to seek employment, for example as a highly skilled migrant. You then apply for a residence permit to seek and perform work in employment or otherwise.
The residence permit is issued for a maximum period of 1 year counting from the date of your graduation and will entitle you to work in the Netherlands without any restrictions, while seeking suitable employment.
If you wish to make use of the orientation year after having finished your studies at a university, a university college, or a university of applied sciences, you have to meet certain requirements.
Conditions
Documents
Costs
Application procedure
Right to work
Validity residence permit
Other information
Conditions
If you wish to make use of the orientation year for graduates, you must meet the following conditions:
- You have not previously held a Dutch residence permit to seek and perform work in employment or otherwise.
- You have a valid travel document (for example a passport).
- You are not a risk to public order or national security.
- You must have studied in the Netherlands with a residence permit for the purpose of study.
- You have graduated at a higher educational institution and as such have a Bachelor's or Master's degree. The IND strongly advises you to submit the application within 4 weeks after your graduation.
- You have not given false information or have withheld important information to support any previous applications.
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Documents
To apply for the residence permit to seek and perform work in employment or otherwise, you need the following documents:
- Copies of all pages of your travel document containing the identification/personal details, including copies of pages containing travel stamps.
- A (certified copy of the) diploma showing the graduation date. This must be a diploma for a study programme followed at a higher educational institution in the Netherlands, or
- If you have not yet received your diploma: The Appendix 'Declaration completion study/deregistration student', signed and filled in by you and the educational institution.
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Costs
The application costs money. The fees must be paid when you submit your application. Please note that you pay for processing the application, not for the residence permit. The fees will therefore not be refunded if your application is refused.
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Application procedure
The application for a residence permit to 'look for work and carry out work whether or not as an employee' can either be submitted in person or by post.
If you want to submit the application in person, you first have to make an appointment at a regional IND desk by calling 088-0430430 (local call charges plus any additional costs charged by your operator when calling with your mobile phone). Please have your V- number ready when calling the IND.
When making the appointment, you will be informed which documents you need to bring with you to the appointment.
Upon the appointment a sticker will be placed in your passport stating your stay in the Netherlands is lawful while awaiting the decision. This sticker also indicates whether you are allowed to work while awaiting this decision. You have to make an appointment for this sticker when you have submitted the application by post.
To submit your application by post, use the form Application for a residence permit with the purpose of residence 'looking for work and carrying out work whether or not as an employee' (foreign national). In the form you will find which documents are required to submit together with the application.
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Right to work
On the residence document you will find your employment status (arbeidsmarktaantekening). This status tells you whether and under which conditions you are allowed to work.
As a holder of a residence permit to seek and perform work in employment or otherwise, you are allowed to work in the Netherlands without any restrictions. This means that your employer does not need to have a work permit (TWV) for you.
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Validity residence permit
The residence permit to seek and perform work in employment or otherwise will be issued for a maximum period of 1 year from the date of your graduation. It is not possible to extend the validity of this residence permit. If you wish to extend your stay in the Netherlands after your orientation year, you then have to apply for another type of residence permit.
If you have found employment as a highly skilled migrant, your purpose of stay may be changed to stay as a highly skilled migrant. Please then take note of the minimum income criteria for highly skilled migrants. Your (future) employer has to apply for this change of purpose, you cannot do this yourself.
Should you have found employment other than as a highly skilled migrant, you may also apply for a residence permit based on work as a labour migrant. Please note in this case that your employer must hold a work permit for you.
If you wish to practise a profession or start a business on a self-employed basis, you then have to apply for stay for this purpose.
On the residence document itself you will find your personal data, along with other information such as your v-number, the purpose of your stay as well as the start and end date of your permit. The document also states your employment status (arbeidsmarktaantekening). This status tells you whether and under which conditions you are allowed to work.
Upon collecting your residence document, make sure to check all (personal) data on the document. If they are, in any way, not correct, please do not take the document home with you, but notify the IND employee attending you at the IND desk.
Illegal stay
Is your residence permit no longer valid and you have not applied for an extension or change of purpose of stay? You are then staying in the Netherlands illegally. You have to leave the Netherlands as soon as possible.
Entry ban
If you are staying in the Netherlands illegally, you face the risk of being issued an entry ban for the Schengen area.
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Other information
Civic integration
Extension of residency
Change in purpose of stay
Permanent residence
Lost documents
Duration of procedures
Register an objection
(Recognised) sponsors
Legal obligations
Enforcement
Leaving the Netherlands
