Working in the Netherlands After Graduation: The Orientation Year Permit

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

The Netherlands offers non-EU graduates a one-year residence permit to look for a job or prepare a business after their degree. It is called the orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden). The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) runs it, and this guide follows the IND page consulted in October 2026. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a residence permit to work in the Netherlands, so this applies to students from other countries. The permit for study itself is explained in the student visa guide for the Netherlands.

Who qualifies

Besides the general requirements for a residence permit, the IND asks that you fit one of several situations. For students the main one is a Dutch study programme completed within the 3 years before you apply. The IND lists:

an accredited bachelor's or master's programme at a Dutch higher education institution;
a post-master's programme in the Netherlands of at least one academic year (at least 10 months);
a master's, doctoral or post-master's programme at a designated foreign institution, which is a university in the top 200 of general or subject rankings of at least two of three publishers (Times Higher Education, QS and ShanghaiRanking), on the date you graduate;
a master's degree from an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master obtained in the last 3 years;
research in the Netherlands within the 3 years before applying, under certain research or highly skilled migrant permits.

Our catalogue lists 1,303 programmes at 158 Dutch institutions, but check that your institution and programme are accredited before counting on this permit.

Extra conditions

Graduates of foreign institutions need a language level: IELTS at least 6.0 or a comparable accepted score, a qualifying civic integration diploma, or a programme taught in English or Dutch.
Foreign diplomas must be evaluated by Nuffic. See credential evaluation for the Netherlands.
You may not have held an orientation year permit for the same programme or research. A second permit is possible only after new research or a new programme, completed after the first orientation year, with a research or highly skilled migrant permit in between.

What the permit allows

The permit is valid for 1 year and cannot be extended. According to the IND, you may work freely or do an internship without a work permit from the employer (the permit states that work is freely permitted and a TWV is not required). You may also work as a self-employed person or freelancer.

The IND adds that working while the application is pending is allowed in certain cases, for example when you submitted a Dutch diploma or a Nuffic-assessed foreign diploma. You first need a residence endorsement sticker in your passport.

How to apply and what it costs

The IND fee is EUR 254.00. There are three ways to apply:

From abroad: book an appointment at the Dutch representation in your country, bring the completed form, a passport photo and your valid passport, and have biometrics taken. The IND wants the application no later than 3 weeks after the appointment.
From within the Netherlands, online: you must live in the Netherlands, be registered in the BRP, have a BSN and a valid permit for your study, and log in with DigiD.
By post, if you cannot apply online.

The IND must decide within 90 days, though this can be extended. If you applied from abroad, a positive decision comes with an MVV entry visa; book the MVV sticker appointment within 3 months of the decision. A TB test may be required within 3 months of receiving the permit.

The three years are counted from the end of your programme, so plan the application well before the limit.

Health insurance in the orientation year

Study in NL says you cannot take out Dutch public health insurance during an orientation year on a search permit until you start working, and that you can take international health insurance instead. More in health insurance for students in the Netherlands.

After the year

If you find a job, the IND says you can apply for another permit, such as a highly skilled migrant, start-up or self-employed person permit. If you want to start a company right after graduating, the IND says a start-up permit may be available instead of the orientation year. Each permit has its own conditions, so read the IND page before you decide.

Where to look next

Official sources

IND: Residence permit for orientation year: conditions, fee, procedure
Study in NL: Healthcare insurance: orientation year insurance

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.