The orientation year (zoekjaar) for graduates

The orientation year (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden) is a one-year residence permit for people who graduated or did research in the Netherlands in the last 3 years, or who hold a master's or PhD from a top-200 university abroad. You apply yourself, the fee is €254 in 2026, and you can work in any job without a work permit. A highly skilled migrant job then needs only the reduced salary of €3,122 a month.

Rules and figures as of October 2026. Check your own situation with the IND or a qualified adviser before you act on it.

who qualifies

You must have completed one of these in the 3 years before you apply:

• an accredited bachelor's or master's programme at a Dutch higher education institution, or a post-master's programme in the Netherlands of at least 10 months;
• an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master;
• scientific research in the Netherlands on a researcher permit (or a highly skilled migrant permit for research);
• a master's, doctoral or post-master's programme at a designated foreign institution: one in the top 200 of at least 2 of the 3 rankings (Times Higher Education, QS, ShanghaiRanking) on the date you graduated. General rankings and subject rankings both count, as long as a subject ranking matches your subject. A foreign bachelor's degree does not qualify.

Graduates of foreign universities also need proof of English or Dutch, for example IELTS 6.0, an equivalent TOEFL, TOEIC or Cambridge score, or a programme taught in English or Dutch. Foreign diplomas are evaluated by Nuffic.

what the permit gives you

switching to a highly skilled migrant job

This is the main reason the orientation year matters. The reduced salary criterion of €3,122 a month (2026) applies when:

• your employer applies for the highly skilled migrant permit while you hold the orientation year permit; or
• you used to hold it, and the application is made within 3 years of your graduation or PhD defence date (or of the end of your research permit); or
• you never had the orientation year but meet its conditions, within the same 3 years.

So the lower threshold does not end when the orientation year ends; it ends 3 years after graduation. Compare that with €4,357 for under-30s and €5,942 at 30 or older without it. The employer must still be a recognised sponsor.

how to use the year well

1. Apply before your study or research permit ends, so there is no gap in your residence.
2. Search among employers that can sponsor you later. Graduate jobs, starter roles (1,487 open today) and internships on JobThing all come from recognised sponsors.
3. Mention the reduced threshold when you talk to employers. An offer between €3,122 and €4,357 a month works only with the reduced criterion, and some recruiters do not know it exists.
4. Check the 30% ruling separately. If you were already living in the Netherlands for your studies, you usually do not meet its 150 km rule.