NETHERLANDS: Orientation year highly educated persons' residence permit


 

Highly educated persons can apply for a Netherlands visa valid for one year, the so-called 'Orientation year highly educated persons' residence permit. As a holder of this residence permit, you are allowed to work in the Netherlands without any restrictions.

The Netherlands considers it highly important that highly skilled migrants have the time they need to find a job or start their own company in the Netherlands after completing their studies. This is why the Orientation year highly educated persons visa was called into life. You can apply for this residence permit within 3 years after completing your study, or obtaining your PhD in the Netherlands or abroad. The orientation visa also gives you the right to work in the Netherlands, so your employer does not need to apply for a separate work permit (TWV) for you.

Conditions

If you wish to make use of the orientation year for highly educated persons, you must meet the following conditions:

  • You need to have a valid passport or other travel document;
  • You need to sign an antecedents statement;
  • You need to take a TB test (exemptions do exist);
  • You have not previously had a residence permit to look for work after study, doctoral programme or scientific research on the basis of completing the same study or doctoral programme or performing the same scientific research. Have you completed various study programmes or doctoral programmes, or have you performed various scientific researches? The orientation year can be granted after each completed study programme or doctoral programme or after each performed scientific research. However, this study programme, doctoral programme or scientific research must have been completed or performed after your previous orientation year. 

In the past three years:

  • completed an accredited bachelor's or master's programme in the Netherlands; or
  • completed a postgraduate studies of at least an academic year (a minimum of 10 months) in the Netherlands; or
  • completed a study in the Netherlands in the context of the Cultural Policy Act; or
  • completed a study in the Netherlands that is provided in relation to the development cooperation policy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; or
  • obtained a master's degree in the context of an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course; or
  • completed a higher education programme designated by Ministerial Decree; or
  • done scientific research at any time. For this, you have had a residence permit in the Netherlands for the purpose of scientific research within the meaning of EU Directive 2005/71/EC, research within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/801, or as a highly skilled migrant to undertake scientific research; or

You have completed a Master's or post-doctoral programme or have obtained a PhD at a designated international educational institution* abroad and you have:

  • Achieved a minimum score of 6.0 for the International English Language Testing System, or
  • Achieved a comparable minimum score in an English language test in accordance with the Code of Conduct for international students in Dutch higher education, or
  • Acquired a diploma, certificate or document as meant in Article 2.3, (1) of the Civic Integration Decree (only in Dutch), or
  • Completed a Master or post-doctoral programme in the English language or in Dutch.

Designated international educational institution
These are foreign educational institutions which have been listed in the top 200 of at least 2 different publishers of general ranking lists or available ranking lists by faculty or subject field. Your educational institution is listed in the top 200 on the date of your graduation or or obtaining the PhD. It concerns the ranking lists of the following publishers: 

Times Higher Education World University Rankings
QS World University Rankings
Academic Ranking of World Universities
Ranking lists published by the same publisher count as one. All foreign diplomas have to be evaluated by Nuffic before they can be accepted. This does not apply to diplomas from accredited higher education programmes in Flanders, Belgium. Check out the ‘FAQ Orientation year’ for more information.

Other conditions may apply for Turkish nationals and their family members.

Costs
This application costs € 207. 

Comments