Minimum Salary for Highly Skilled Workers Increased for 2015

Starting January 1, 2015, non-EEA nationals with valid job offers applying for work authorization under the Knowledge Migrant program for highly skilled foreign workers will be subject to higher minimum salary levels. 

The new salary requirements are as follows (including holiday pay): 

• Applicants under 30: € 3,316.68 (approximately USD 4,130), up from € 3,205.44.
• Applicants over 30: € 4,524.12 (approximately USD 5,635), up from € 4,371.84.
• Foreign graduates of a Dutch institution of higher education taking advantage of the program’s one-year search period to secure employment: € 2,377.08 (approximately USD 2,960), up from € 2,297.16.

Employers must transfer salary payments directly to a Dutch or foreign bank account registered in the employee’s name. Salaries must be administered through the payroll of a Dutch company or, for intracompany transferees or assignees, by the entity abroad responsible for the assignment to the Netherlands. 

Benefits and other allowances count toward the minimum salary requirements, under certain conditions.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Employers should ensure they comply with the new salary requirements. 

Internal policies for Knowledge Migrant work authorization applications are subject to change with little or no advance notice. Therefore, employers applying for Knowledge Migrant work authorization should contact their immigration professional prior to filing to review the new salary requirements, along with current application requirements and related processing times. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

© 2009 - 2015 © Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, Fragomen Global LLP and affiliates. All Rights Reserved.