Coming to the Netherlands as a Highly Skilled Migrant is a relatively complicated process. At least, this is especially the case when you try to arrange everything yourself as a Highly Skilled Migrant or employer.Â
At PAYSE, we have long been a reliable IND sponsor and payroll partner for highly skilled migrants (HSM). We facilitate the entire process from A to Z by completely unburdening and fast procedures due to our recognised sponsor status. For highly skilled migrants themselves as well as for companies that want to hire highly skilled migrants.Â
Consider, for example:Â
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So you know how to take care of everything at PAYSE at once and avoid getting lost in the extensive spider's web of rules, procedures and other issues.
The highly skilled migrant is also known in the Netherlands as the knowledge migrant. This is a highly skilled professional who comes to the Netherlands from a country outside the EU for a new job.Â
These knowledge migrants make a clear contribution to the Dutch (knowledge) economy thanks to their specific knowledge. They are particularly needed in specific sectors, such as:Â
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But also for other industries and sectors, PAYSE of course has no problem helping you as an HSM or employer.Â
HSM status further offers a number of clear advantages for professionals as well as employers, making it all the more reason to choose this way of working.Â
In terms of benefits, these include:Â
A worrying development is that the years of strong growth of knowledge migrants in the Netherlands have recently slowed down. This is partly due to a lack of clarity about the process for knowledge migrants themselves as well as employers.Â
There is therefore all the more reason to go for a true opt for full de-risking at PAYSE, so you can be sure that everything from A to Z is properly taken care of at once. Â
An IND sponsor in the Netherlands should be seen as an organisation that has received approval from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) to bring highly skilled migrants to the Netherlands and apply for a residence permit. As an IND sponsor, you are then a recognised sponsor.Â
The big advantage is that this HSM visa can then be arranged in the Netherlands through an expedited procedure. This is one of the IND sponsorship services for companies offered by PAYSE.Â
Arranging an HSM visa in the Netherlands, proceeds through the following steps:Â
As a recognised referent, PAYSE is able to save both knowledge migrants and employers a lot of time and effort and relieve both parties of all their worries. After all, we are already an official recognised referent of the IND.
The whole process surrounding an HSM who is brought to the Netherlands is quite complicated. As an employer, for instance, quite a few tasks need to be taken into account.Â
If you, as an employer, want to work with a knowledge migrant, you need to arrange the following, among other things:Â
For example, knowledge migrants are all about complying with the salary standards set by the IND. Consider the gross salary threshold in 2026 for knowledge migrants under 30 and 30 and above.
The correct application of the 30% scheme also plays a major role, where there is a tax benefit to partially offset the cost of coming to the Netherlands.Â
As an organisation, do you want to make the process around onboarding a knowledge migrant a lot less complicated? Then choose to take care of legal employment (and all the above points involved) Leave it to PAYSE. So you save yourself a lot of red tape and all kinds of legal risks.Â
Get in touch and discover the convenience of having a single point of contact for all matters around payroll, visas and administration!
Bringing a highly skilled migrant to the Netherlands is very interesting for employers. And there are several reasons for this.
The main reasons for hire knowledge migrants as an employer, are:Â
All in all, these benefits make hiring knowledge migrants a strategic move. You bring in specialist skills into the organisation, which raises the overall knowledge level of your workforce. Â
So despite the advantages of bringing a highly skilled migrant to the Netherlands, there is a lot involved. Especially if you, as an employer, do not have IND sponsor status yourself.Â
At PAYSE, we completely take care of the entire IND process and payroll for HSM.Â
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As an employer, you retain all the direction and control over the employee, while not having to worry about all the burdens of being a formal employer.
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Starting work in the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant? Even then, it is important to go through the full procedure carefully.Â
The entire step-by-step process of getting started in the Netherlands as a knowledge migrant is quite complicated if you don't get help with it. At PAYSE, we are therefore happy to help you with this procedure, making it look a lot simpler:Â
As a highly skilled migrant, do you also want to get started quickly with your new job in the Netherlands? Then enlist the help of PAYSE now and discover for yourself how quickly you manage to complete the full procedure!
For an IND application, there is a statutory time limit of 90 days. However, are you having the application done by PAYSE as a recognised IND referent? Then a target period of 2 weeks applies.
Yes, as a highly skilled migrant, you may bring your family to the Netherlands. This is done through the family reunification procedure, where a partner and minor children are given their own residence permit. This is then linked to yours as a highly skilled migrant.
As an IND sponsor, PAYSE arranges the entire process of bringing a knowledge migrant to the Netherlands. Think of arranging HSM visas in the Netherlands, salary administration, payroll and guidance with the 30% scheme.
To come to the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant, your employer must be an IND sponsor, offer a contract with specific conditions of employment and you must have a valid passport and get an HSM visa, among other things. Contact PAYSE to arrange all this in one go.
A highly skilled migrant, also known as a knowledge migrant, is a specific subcategory within the broader group of expatriates (all foreign workers from within or outside the EU). This is because it refers only to highly skilled workers who come to the Netherlands from outside the EU to contribute specialist knowledge to the economy.







You’ll get a response within one business day. Prefer to speak directly? Call Wouter at 033 303 7720.