Legal obligations (recognised) sponsor labour-related purposes

The recognised and non-recognised sponsoring employer submits applications for a residence permit for employees that it wants to bring to the Netherlands. Here, the sponsoring employer must meet several legal obligations. This page explains these obligations.

As a (recognised) sponsoring employer, you must meet the following legal obligations:

duty of care (only for recognised sponsors)
duty to keep and retain records
obligation to provide information

Watch the animation video 'Which duties does a recognised sponsor have to fulfil?' for a short explanation of the obligations for a recognised sponsor Labour. Or read the transcript.

Foreign national's return

You are responsible for the foreign national's return. Does de foreign national not return to his country of origin and is there a compulsory departure enforced by Dutch government? Then the IND may oblige you to pay the costs of the compulsory departure.

You are not responsible for your employee's family members. The employee is the private sponsor for his or her family members. The employee also has legal obligations towards his or her family members and towards him- or herself.

Employees with a residence permit for seasonal labour or for gaining work experience are not allowed to bring over family members.

Duty of care
Recognised sponsors have a duty to ensure a careful recruitment and selection of highly skilled migrants or employees who have been transferred within the company (Intra Corporate Transferees). You must also inform the highly skilled migrant transferee of the conditions for admission and residence which he or she must meet. For more information read our brochure The residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant. Would you like to read the legal texts? Read Article 1.4 of the Aliens Regulations (in Dutch) and Article 1.16 of the Aliens Decree (in Dutch).
Duty to keep and retain records
As a recognised sponsor you have a duty to keep records and an obligation to retain. You must retain these records and documents for up to 5 years after the sponsorship has ended. The information may also be kept digitally. You can provide this information when the IND requests it.
Has the address of the administration of your company, organisation or legal entity changed? You must report this to the IND within 2 weeks. Read how to report under 'Obligation to provide information'.
The (recognised) sponsor must keep the following information about the employee in its records:
The employment contract, the appointment decision or the hosting agreement.
The original work permit (if required) or the additional document accompanying the single permit (GVVA).
A copy of the passport.
In the case of a transfer of the employee within a group of companies: a statement from the foreign (parent) company and a statement from the business unit in the Netherlands.
The payslips.
In the case of a (regulated) profession such as a doctor: proof of registration in the BIG-register.
The recognised sponsor also must keep the following information about the employee in its records:
The antecedents certificate, completed and signed by the foreign national (only if there is no antecedents).
Sometimes other documents must be included in the administration. This depends on the employee's purpose of residence in the Netherlands. For a full list of documents and information you must keep, please visit our Dutch page Wettelijke verplichtingen (erkend) referent arbeid. Or refer to Articles 4.32 through 4.35a of the Aliens Regulations (in Dutch) and article 4.53 Aliens Decree (in Dutch).
You must retain these records and documents for up to 5 years after the sponsorship has ended. The information may also be kept digitally. You can provide this information when the IND requests it.
Obligation to provide information

The recognised and non-recognised sponsoring employer both have an obligation to provide information. All changes that are relevant to the foreign national's right of residence must be reported to the IND. The recognised sponsoring employer must also report changes that may affect their status as a sponsor.

Changes with regard to the employee

You are obliged to report changes to the IND if such changes will affect the employee's right of residence. You must report the information within 4 weeks after the fact, circumstance or change occurred. Please use the notification form for labour-related residence purposes (recognised sponsor) or notification form for labour-related residence purposes (non-recognised sponsor). For Intra Corporate Transferees use the notification form Intra Corporate Transferees (recognised sponsor) or the notification form Intra Corporate Transferees (non-recognised sponsor). Do you have access to our Business Portal? Then you can also submit changes in the portal.

For example:

The employee no longer comes to the Netherlands.
The employee no longer works for you.
The employee no longer meets the income requirement or no longer has sufficient, long-term and independent means of support.
The employee is no longer staying in the Netherlands or you no longer know where the employee is.
The employee performing an individual healthcare profession, for which registration is required, is not registered in the BIG-register.
The employee does not meet the professional qualifications that are applicable to the relevant sector.

If your employee has notified the municipality (BRP) on time that he or she is going to emigrate or move house within the Netherlands, it is not necessary to also report this to the IND. On time means either before the emigration or within 4 weeks following the relocation. The IND will then already have this information.

Changes with regard to the family members of the employee

The employee must report changes that concern its family members to the IND. For more information read our page Legal obligations private sponsor.

Changes with regard to the recognised sponsor

All changes that are relevant to the recognition as a sponsor must be reported to the IND. You must report the information within 4 weeks after the fact, circumstance or change occurred. Has the address of (the administration of) the company, organisation or legal entity changed? You must report this to the IND within 2 weeks, according to the duty to keep and retain records. Please use the notification form for changes concerning the recognised sponsor. Or submit changes in the Business Portal, using eHerkenning.

For example:

A change of address.
A change to your company's legal status.
A change to your company's business purpose.
Termination of the company.
The fact that criminal proceedings were instituted against one of the managing or executive directors of the recognised sponsor.
Suspension of payment or bankruptcy.
A merger or acquisition.
Having changed contact persons within your organisation.
Having changed the authorised/legal representative that submits applications on your organisation's behalf.

For more information on the obligation to provide information, please refer to Articles 4.17, 4.18, 4.22 and 4.23 of the Aliens Regulations (in Dutch).

Oversight by IND

The IND monitors your compliance with these legal obligations. Failure to meet these legal obligations may have consequences.