To move from Pakistan to the Netherlands for work, you need a job offer from an IND recognised sponsor that pays at least €5,942 a month (or €4,357 under 30) in 2026. Your employer applies for the permit. Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention in 2023, but the Netherlands objected, so documents are still legalised by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy in Islamabad.
the route: a highly skilled migrant permit
For a skilled job, the usual route from Pakistan is the highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit. Two things decide whether it works: the employer must be on the IND register of recognised sponsors, and the salary must meet the 2026 threshold of €5,942 gross a month at 30 or older, €4,357 under 30, or €3,122 if you qualify for the reduced criterion (for example a Dutch degree in the last 3 years). Holiday allowance does not count. The employer applies for you; the IND fee is €423. The full process is in the highly skilled migrant guide.
documents from pakistan
Pakistan's accession to the Apostille Convention took effect on 9 March 2023, but the Netherlands raised an objection, so the apostille does not apply between the two countries. Pakistani documents must be legalised by the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad or at one of its camp offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar or Quetta. Once legalised they can be used in the Netherlands.
Documents in Urdu must be translated by a sworn translator into Dutch, English, French or German, and the translation is legalised too.
To register at your Dutch address you need your legalised birth certificate (with a translation if required), and for a partner or children, legalised marriage and birth certificates. Ask your municipality in advance which other documents it wants. Once legalised, birth and marriage certificates stay valid; how old they are does not matter.
timeline, step by step
| step | who | time limit or usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Legalise your birth certificate (and marriage and children's certificates) | you | Start several months before the application, the IND advises |
| Job offer and contract from a recognised sponsor | you and the employer | - |
| Application for MVV and residence permit (TEV) | the employer | IND target 2 weeks for a complete application; legal maximum 90 days; fee €423 |
| Collect the MVV visa sticker | you | Request the appointment by email within 3 months of the IND decision; scheduling up to 3 working days, passport back in up to 10 |
| Travel to the Netherlands | you | Within the MVV's 90-day validity |
| Register with the municipality, get your BSN | you | Within 5 days of arriving, in person |
| Collect your residence permit card at an IND desk | you | Book within 2 weeks of arriving |
| TB test at the GGD (required for nationals of Pakistan) | you | Within 3 months of receiving the permit |
| Dutch health insurance | you | Within 4 months; late cover is not backdated |
| DigiD (government login) | you | Apply after you have a BSN; the activation code is posted to your address |
where you collect the mvv
You can collect the MVV visa sticker only at the Dutch embassy in Islamabad. Appointments are requested by email, as described on Netherlands Worldwide; include your V-number, name, contact details and the IND approval letter. Scheduling can take up to 3 working days. You have 3 months from the IND's decision to apply, and getting your passport back can take up to 10 working days.
Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months on the day of the appointment and have at least 2 empty pages. You give fingerprints, a photo and a signature at the appointment.
money: the 30% ruling
If you are recruited while living in Pakistan, you meet the 30% ruling's distance rule (more than 150 km from the Dutch border for more than 16 of the 24 months before you start). With a taxable salary above €48,013 in 2026 (€36,497 if you are under 30 with a qualifying master's), your employer can pay up to 30% of your salary tax-free. You and the employer apply to the Tax Administration within 4 months of your start date. Details in the 30% ruling guide.
pitfalls that cost people weeks
- Starting documents after the offer. You need the legalised birth certificate in your first week in the Netherlands, so start early.
- Applying to employers that cannot sponsor. For this permit only registered sponsors can apply. Check a company before you spend time on it; every employer on JobThing is already on the register.
- Paying for a job. The employer files the application, and the IND fee is paid when it is submitted. Be wary of anyone who asks you for money to get you a job or a visa: Dutch law generally forbids charging job seekers a fee for placement, and you can report fraud to the IND.
- Missing the TB test. Nationals of Pakistan are not on the IND's exemption list, so the test is required.
- Driving on your Pakistani licence too long. You may drive on it for the first 185 days after you move. It cannot normally be exchanged for a Dutch licence, except if the 30% ruling applies to you: then the RDW lets highly skilled migrants exchange a licence from any country.
- Getting an apostille instead of legalisation. Pakistan issues apostilles for other countries, but the Netherlands does not accept them from Pakistan. Ask for Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation.
sources
- Netherlands Worldwide: legalising documents from Pakistan
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
- HCCH: objections to Pakistan's accession, including by the Netherlands
- Netherlands Worldwide: applying for an MVV in Pakistan
- IND: highly skilled migrant residence permit
- IND brochure: residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant (PDF)
- IND: required amounts (income requirements) for 2026
- IND: fees, costs of an application (2026)
- IND: decision periods
- IND: nationalities exempt from the TB test, valid from 30 May 2025 (PDF)
- Government.nl: when to register with the Personal Records Database (BRP)
- Government.nl: when to take out health insurance after moving to the Netherlands
- DigiD: apply for a DigiD
- Belastingdienst: the 30% facility (expat scheme)
- RDW: driving with a foreign driving licence
- RDW: exchanging a foreign driving licence
- Waadi, article 3: no fee may be charged to job seekers for placement (Dutch)
- IND: report fraud or abuse
questions
Does the Netherlands accept an apostille from Pakistan?
No. Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention in 2023, but the Netherlands objected to its accession. Pakistani documents must be legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad or one of its camp offices.
Where do I collect my MVV in Pakistan?
Only at the Dutch embassy in Islamabad, by email appointment, within 3 months of the IND's positive decision.
Do I need a TB test if I move from Pakistan to the Netherlands?
Yes. Pakistan is not on the IND list of exempt nationalities, so you book a tuberculosis test at the GGD within 3 months of receiving your residence permit.
What salary do I need to move from Pakistan to the Netherlands for work?
For a highly skilled migrant permit in 2026: €5,942 gross a month at 30 or older, €4,357 under 30, or €3,122 under the reduced criterion for recent graduates. Holiday allowance does not count.
Can I exchange my driving licence in the Netherlands?
Normally not, but if the 30% ruling applies to you as a highly skilled migrant, the RDW lets you exchange a licence from any country. Otherwise you may drive on it for the first 185 days after moving.