For work
Working in Netherlands: how long to residence and citizenship
The thing a visa list won't tell you
The salary threshold is age-banded (€4,357 under 30, €5,942 at 30+) — but arriving via an orientation year keeps you on the €3,122 rate.
Your ladder
- 5 years
Highly skilled migrant
✓ counts toward citizenship
Permanent residence at
5 years
Citizenship assessed at
5 years
Still to serve after these rungs
0 years
Sources
- · Highly skilled migrant 2026 thresholds: €4,357/month under 30, €5,942/month at 30+, or €3,122/month on the reduced post-orientation-year rate
- · Permanent residence after 5 continuous years of legal residence (IND, 2026)
- · Naturalisation after 5 years' legal residence plus integration requirements (2026)
Keep going
- All study and work routes →
- Studying in Netherlands instead →
- How to find a regulated immigration lawyer in Netherlands →
Not immigration advice. Orientation only. Immigration rules change often and decisions are discretionary — nothing here is a promise of residence or citizenship. Check your case with a licensed immigration adviser. Rules reviewed 2026-07. (2026-07)