Obligations of sponsor and recognised sponsor
Obligation to provide information
You must notify the IND of changes that have consequences for the residence permit or your recognition as a sponsor. You must notify the IND of a change mostly within 4 weeks. Use the notification forms.
Read regulations (in Dutch only) about the obligation to inform in articles 4.17 through 4.26 of the Aliens Regulations (Voorschrift Vreemdelingen).
Business portal
Do you have eRecognition (in Dutch: eHerkenning)? Then you can also notify the IND of changes via the Business Portal.
Examples of changes in the foreign national’s situation
- The foreign national will no longer come to the Netherlands or has left the Netherlands.
- The foreign national no longer has enough income to live in the Netherlands.
- The foreign national has stopped their study programme, research or work.
- The foreign national is going to stay with a different host family.
Examples of changes in the recognised sponsor’s situation
- Ending of the organisation.
- Suspension of payment (in Dutch: surseance) or liquidation of the organisation.
- The registration of the organisation in the register of the Labour Standards Foundation (SNA) has been terminated. But the organisation is still engaged providing employees or payrolling.
You must notify the IND of a change of your administrative address within 2 weeks. This is part of your obligation to keep and retain records.
Changes without obligation to provide information
Would you like to have better and quicker contact with the IND? Then also report these changes that are not an obligation:
- contact person at your organisation
- postal address of your organisation
Notify the local council of emigration or moving house
Foreign nationals must notify the local council (in Dutch: gemeente) of their emigration or moving house within the Netherlands. Foreign nationals must give notice of this before emigration or within 4 weeks after moving. The town hall or local council will notify the IND.
Did the foreign national not notify the town hall or local council of the move in time? In that case you must inform the IND because you are the sponsor. Use the notification form.
Obligation to keep and retain records
You must retain information on the foreign national in your records. You must retain this information until 5 years after you are no longer the foreign national’s (recognised) sponsor. If the IND asks for this information, you must be able to show this information.
Change of administrative address
Will your company’s administrative address change? Then you must notify the IND within 2 weeks. Make use of the online form for reporting changes concerning a recognised sponsor in the Business Portal.
You can also use this written form:
Read regulations (in Dutch only) about the obligation to keep and retain records in articles 4.27 through 4.42 Voorschrift Vreemdelingen (Voorschrift Vreemdelingen).
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Obligation to keep and retain records of higher education students
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Obligation to keep and retain records of secondary and vocational education students
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Obligation to keep and retain records of vocational training level 4 students
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Obligation to keep and retain records of International Baccalaureate students
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Obligation to keep and retain records of au pairs
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Obligation to keep and retain records of young people on exchange
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Obligation to keep and retain records of researchers
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Obligation to keep and retain records of highly skilled migrants and holders of European Blue Cards
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Obligation to keep and retain records of intra corporate transferees (Intra-Corporate Transferees Directive 2014/66/EU)
open minus -
Obligation to keep and retain records of seasonal workers
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Obligation to keep and retain records of trainees or students on work placement
open minus -
Obligation to keep and retain records of other work in paid employment
open minus
Duty of care
You have a duty of care if you are a (recognised) sponsor. This means that you must provide for a careful recruitment and selection of foreign nationals. You must also inform the foreign national of the admission and residence requirements and other regulations.
Return of the foreign national
You are responsible for the foreign national’s return. You are not responsible for the foreign national’s family member. The foreign national is the sponsor of the family member. A foreign national with a residence permit for the purpose of seasonal labour or on-the-job learning cannot have a family member come to the Netherlands. Find out more about the obligations of the foreign national and private sponsor.
Check for meeting obligations
The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. You can get an administrative fine if you do not meet your obligations. The IND can also suspend or withdraw your recognition as a sponsor.
Notification forms
Notify a change by using the correct notification form:
Notification of changes in the recognised sponsor's situation
Notification of changes in the foreign national's situation with a residence permit
- Seasonal labour, learning while working, working in employment, a European blue card and working as a highly skilled migrant
- Intra Corporate Transferees
- Scientific research Directive 2005/71/EC and research Directive (EU) 2016/801 (recognised sponsor)
- Study (recognised sponsor)
- Exchange (recognised sponsor)
See also
- Video: What are the obligations of a recognised sponsor?
- Download in MP4 HD formaat MP4 HD | 43.5 MB
Video title is visible in animation: Which duties does a recognized sponsor (employer) have to fulfil?
Voice-over: Which duties does a recognised sponsor have to fulfil?
You are a recognised sponsor. That means that the IND trusts you. Your applications for residence permits are processed
faster and you need to submit fewer documents. But something is also expected of you.
What exactly is set out in three legal obligations: the duty of care, the duty
to keep and retain records, and the obligation to provide information.
One. The duty of care. You must ensure careful recruitment and selection of an employee.
And inform your employee about the conditions that apply to a residence permit for living and working in the Netherlands.
The duty of care is your responsibility, even if you ask someone else to do the recruitment and selection for you.
Two. The duty to keep and retain records. You must keep records with information about your employee.
For example, an employment contract and payslips, as well as how you performed the duty of care.
Then you can show this information to the IND if asked. Three. The obligation to provide information.
You must report changes to the IND on time. Changes in your employee’s situation, for example dismissal or
if your employee starts earning less than the salary norm. And changes at your company, for example if you change address or go bankrupt.
Use the notification form on ind.nl or submit it digitally in the Business Portal.
If you would like to know more about your duties, visit www.ind.nl.
text in animation: Want to know more about your duties? Visit ind.nlDownload AudiodescriptieDownload in MP3 formaatDownload Video- Download in MP4 HD formaat MP4 HD | 43.5 MB
Download TranscriptieVideo title is visible in animation: Which duties does a recognized sponsor (employer) have to fulfil?
Voice-over: Which duties does a recognised sponsor have to fulfil?
You are a recognised sponsor. That means that the IND trusts you. Your applications for residence permits are processed
faster and you need to submit fewer documents. But something is also expected of you.
What exactly is set out in three legal obligations: the duty of care, the duty
to keep and retain records, and the obligation to provide information.
One. The duty of care. You must ensure careful recruitment and selection of an employee.
And inform your employee about the conditions that apply to a residence permit for living and working in the Netherlands.
The duty of care is your responsibility, even if you ask someone else to do the recruitment and selection for you.
Two. The duty to keep and retain records. You must keep records with information about your employee.
For example, an employment contract and payslips, as well as how you performed the duty of care.
Then you can show this information to the IND if asked. Three. The obligation to provide information.
You must report changes to the IND on time. Changes in your employee’s situation, for example dismissal or
if your employee starts earning less than the salary norm. And changes at your company, for example if you change address or go bankrupt.
Use the notification form on ind.nl or submit it digitally in the Business Portal.
If you would like to know more about your duties, visit www.ind.nl.
text in animation: Want to know more about your duties? Visit ind.nl - Obligations of recognised sponsor in brochure
- Administrative fine for not meeting your obligations
- Suspension and withdrawal of recognition as sponsor