To be eligible for a residence permit as a highly skilled migrant, your employer will have to comply with the salary criteria. Until now, recent graduates would be eligible for the lowest salary threshold, provided an application is lodged before the end date of the 'orientation year permit'.

If not, the regular salary criteria would apply. This caused problems in the past with late applications to convert an orienation year visa to a highly skilled migrant visa.

Due to the corona pandemic it has become a lot harder for orientation year permit holders to find a job before the search year expires.

The Immigration Service (IND) appears to acknowledge that and confirmed that the lowest salary threshold may still be invoked even if the orientation year permit has already ended, provided the date of graduation is less than 3 years ago.

Do you have questions or do you wish to be advised on how to shape this in accordance with the specifics of your situation? Feel free to contact Thomas van Houwelingen.