IND salary thresholds 2026 explained

The highly skilled migrant (HSM) permit is built around a single hard number: your gross monthly salary has to meet or exceed a required amount set by the IND, and that amount changes every January. This guide sets out the 2026 figures precisely, explains which one applies to your situation, and flags the details people most often get wrong.

The 2026 figures

These amounts are valid from 1 January 2026, published by the IND, and are all gross monthly amounts excluding the 8% holiday allowance that Dutch employers add on top.

Notice that the standard EU Blue Card amount matches the 30-and-over HSM figure. This means for many candidates over 30, the two routes require the same salary, and the choice between them comes down to other factors like qualification requirements and mobility rights within the EU, not salary.

Which threshold applies to you

Three questions decide which figure is relevant:

1. Are you under 30 or 30 and over on the date your application is assessed? This, not your age today, is what counts, so a threshold can shift mid-process if your birthday falls during the application.
2. Do you qualify for the reduced salary criterion — typically because you're on an orientation-year permit or applying within three years of a Dutch degree or postdoctoral position? If so, the much lower reduced figure applies regardless of age.
3. Are you applying for the HSM permit or the EU Blue Card? The two have separate, published figures, and Blue Card also carries its own qualification and contract-length requirements.

What counts towards the number

The required amount is a gross monthly base salary. It excludes the 8% holiday allowance, and generally excludes one-off bonuses, relocation payments, or benefits in kind — your fixed monthly base pay has to clear the bar on its own, not the combination of base plus extras. If you're unsure whether a specific pay component counts, check with the IND or ask your prospective employer's HR or immigration team directly, since this is an area where the details of a particular contract matter.

Clearing the threshold isn't the whole test

The IND also expects the offered salary to be in line with the market rate for the role and seniority level, not simply technically above the minimum. In practice this rarely blocks genuine offers, since employers set pay based on the market anyway, but it's worth knowing this is a real, separate criterion rather than a formality.

It's also worth being clear that the salary threshold is only one of several conditions. The employer has to be an IND-recognised sponsor, your qualifications may need to be verifiable, and nationality-specific rules (MVV visa requirement, TB test) can add steps depending on where you're from.

Why the numbers change every year

The IND updates the required amounts annually, generally in January, in line with wage developments. This is a routine adjustment, not a policy change, but it does mean a figure you saw last year or read on an older forum post may already be out of date. Always check the current year's amount, or use our eligibility check, which is built against the current published figures rather than a static article.

Where salary thresholds bite hardest

In our experience, the threshold is most likely to be a genuine obstacle for candidates early in their career, in sectors with generally lower entry-level pay, or moving from a labour market with a much lower cost of living where the salary jump feels large in relative terms. Candidates in IT, Software & Technology and Banking, Finance & Fintech tend to clear the standard threshold comfortably at mid-level and above; more junior roles across most sectors sit closer to the line.

Related guides

If your salary is close to the threshold via the 30% ruling's tax treatment, see our explainer on the 30% ruling and what changed. If you're still searching for a role, our guide on finding visa sponsorship jobs covers how to filter for roles likely to clear these figures.