MatricMap

↑↓ to move · Enter to open · Esc to close

Work in the Netherlands

No occupation list and no labour market test — just a salary threshold and an IND-recognised employer.

More about Netherlands

The under-30 salary threshold is markedly lower. English is widely used in tech, engineering and research.

See the 4 visa routesCompare countries

Degrees that travel best

5 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5

  1. 4 EngineeringOpen door
  2. 4 Finance & EconomicsOpen door
  3. 4 Computer Science & ITOpen door
  4. 4 Data Science & StatisticsOpen door
  5. 4 Agricultural ScienceOpen door
  6. 3 Natural SciencesOpen door
  7. 3 Humanities (BA)Open door
  8. 3 Quantity SurveyingRecognised, paperwork only
Show all 23 fields
  1. 3 Chartered AccountancyRecognised, paperwork only
  2. 3 Actuarial ScienceRecognised, paperwork only
  3. 3 Business ManagementRecognised, paperwork only
  4. 3 ArchitectureExams or bridging
  5. 3 MedicineMajor requalification
  6. 3 DentistryMajor requalification
  7. 3 Veterinary ScienceMajor requalification
  8. 3 NursingMajor requalification
  9. 3 PharmacyMajor requalification
  10. 3 PhysiotherapyMajor requalification
  11. 3 Occupational TherapyMajor requalification
  12. 3 PsychologyMajor requalification
  13. 3 TeachingMajor requalification
  14. 3 Social WorkMajor requalification
  15. 2 LawStarts over

Good to know

Working language
English common in tech, engineering and research; Dutch needed for regulated professions and public-facing work.
For South African passport holders
For the orientation year, an SA qualification counts only if it is a master's, doctorate or post-master's from a university in the top 200 of the general or subject rankings of at least 2 of THE, QS and ShanghaiRanking on the graduation date; an SA bachelor's does not count.
More

Rankings change each year, so this has to be checked for the specific university, subject and graduation year. South Africans need an MVV for stays over 90 days; SA is not in the working holiday scheme.

Shortage list
None for immigration purposes; UWV publishes labour-market shortage ('krapte') analysis
The Netherlands has no shortage occupation list gating work permits — the Highly Skilled Migrant and Blue Card routes are purely salary-based.
More

UWV separately publishes analysis of structurally tight occupations (construction, industry, ICT, healthcare, education) as labour-market intelligence.

Studying there instead
Non-EU/EEA students pay institutional fees: roughly EUR 9,000-20,000 a year for a bachelor's and EUR 12,000-30,000 for a master's (official averages; exact fees vary by programme).
More

The EU statutory fee for 2026-2027 is EUR 2,694. Post-study work right is the one-year orientation year permit.

General information about published rules, not immigration advice; for an individual application use a licensed adviser in Netherlands. Researched 2026-10-07.