Highly Skilled Migrant (kennismigrant)

The authority, exactly

The IND states this in as many words: only an employer recognised by the IND can apply for this permit. Recognition is the employer's status, not something the migrant applies for — the IND assesses the organisation's reliability, continuity and financial health before entering it in a public register, and an offer from an employer outside that register cannot be used for this route. The one exception is nationals of Turkey: under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement, a Turkish national may apply without a recognised sponsor and may submit the application themselves — though the IND still advises using a recognised sponsor because, in its own words, it decides faster when one applies.

Salary floor

EUR 5,942 a month

The IND publishes three gross monthly tiers, valid from 1 July to 31 December 2026 and excluding the 8% holiday allowance: €5,942 for a migrant aged 30 or older, €4,357 for one younger than 30, and a reduced criterion of €3,122 for someone who completed a higher-education degree within roughly the last three years or is moving on from a residence permit for orientation year. The IND states these amounts change every year on 1 January; confirm the figure in force on the date of your application with the IND or your sponsor before relying on it.

A figure without the year it belongs to and the condition attached to it is how someone rules themselves out of a permit they qualify for. Both are above.