As of March 1, 2016 highly educated people can qualify for a residence permit for one year to work without a work permit and/or search for work in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant. Among others, the following highly educated people do qualify:

  • foreign students who have graduated from a Dutch college or university
  • academic researchers who have completed their research at a Dutch university
  • foreign graduates from a designated top university abroad

This residence permit should be applied for within 3 years after graduation.