An honest read on your Dutch visa criteria
ClearToNL scores your answers against the official 2026 IND highly skilled migrant rules — the salary thresholds, the recognised-sponsor register, the fine print. €10 per assessment, ten minutes, no consultant retainers.
Scored against official sources · last verified 10 October 2026
Three steps between you and a straight answer
Answer honestly
A short guided assessment. Nationality, date of birth, role, salary, education, experience. No name, no passport number, no phone number.
We check you against the official 2026 IND rules
Your answers are scored against the required amounts the IND published for 1 January 2026, plus the recognised-sponsor register.
Get your roadmap
A criteria match, the exact euro gap if you are short, and a step-by-step plan.
The permit isn't about your job title. It's about one number on your contract.
There is no list of approved professions. If a recognised sponsor pays you at or above the gross monthly amount for your age band — excluding the 8% holiday allowance — the route is open. If they can't, it is closed, whatever a consultant tells you.
Highly skilled migrant, 30 or older · 2026 · gross per month
€5,942
If the offer is below this amount, the highly skilled migrant route is closed for that job.
Under 30
€4,357
Reduced criterion — graduate / orientation year
€3,122
Source: ind.nl — required amounts (income requirements), effective 1 January 2026, last verified 10 October 2026. All amounts exclude the 8% holiday allowance.
Where the door usually opens — and where it usually doesn't
Any profession can qualify on paper. What differs is how often an employer can actually pay above the bar.
IT & Software
Usually clears the threshold
Finance & Legal
Usually clears the threshold
Science & R&D
Often clears the threshold
Healthcare
Depends on BIG registration
HR & Recruitment
Borderline — depends on seniority
Chef, Driver, Retail
Rarely eligible for HSM
From today to your first bike ride to work
The order is the same for everyone. How long each step takes depends on your profile and how much demand there is for it. Your report shows which steps apply to you and which you can skip.
Step 1
Know your number
The threshold that applies to you depends on your age band and whether you are a recent graduate. Everything else follows from that one figure.Step 2
Make your profile legible to Dutch recruiters
CV into the Dutch format, Nuffic or IDW diploma evaluation started, LinkedIn rewritten for the roles that actually pay above the threshold.Step 3
Apply to recognised sponsors only
Only employers on the IND register can bring you in as a highly skilled migrant. Applying anywhere else is time you do not get back.Step 4
Check the contract before you sign
Gross monthly salary excluding the 8% holiday allowance, at or above your threshold, from a sponsor that is still on the register.Step 5
Your employer files, not you
The sponsor submits the application. The legal decision period is 90 days, which the IND can extend by 30 days for a first application (ind.nl/en/after-your-application/decision-periods). An MVV appointment follows if you need one.Step 6
BSN, bank, bike, 30% ruling
Register with your municipality, get your BSN, open an account, and have your employer apply for the 30% ruling if you qualify.
The questions people email me
From the guides: The exact 2026 highly skilled migrant salary thresholds · How to find companies that sponsor work visas in the Netherlands