Before you start

A job offer from an IND-recognised sponsor (erkend referent) for the non-EU highly skilled migrant route, or an orientation-year/DAFT basis if self-directed
A registered Amsterdam address with a signed rental or purchase contract (or written permission to reside) showing the start date — needed for BRP registration
A valid passport (non-EU) or national ID card (EU/EEA/Swiss)
For non-EU: an entry visa (MVV) collected before travel where required, and the residence-permit card from the IND

Step-by-step

1
Employer files your highly skilled migrant permit (non-EU only)
Only an IND-recognised sponsor can apply. The employer submits the kennismigrant application; you do not file it yourself. The IND has a legal decision period of up to 90 days, but recognised sponsors are typically decided in about 2 weeks. If you need an entry visa (MVV), it is bundled in. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens skip this step entirely — no permit, no work authorisation needed.
Via employerWho: Non-EU professionals (filed by the employer)About 2 weeks for recognised sponsors (90-day legal max)€423 (paid by the employer)
2
Recent graduate? Use the orientation year (zoekjaar) instead
If you finished a Dutch degree — or a recognised top-200 university degree abroad — within the last 3 years, you can apply yourself for a 1-year orientation-year permit with full labour-market access. Its biggest payoff is downstream: a job found during or after it unlocks the highly skilled migrant permit at the much lower 'reduced' salary threshold instead of the standard one.
OnlineWho: Recent non-EU graduates and researchersDecision typically within weeks; permit valid 12 months€254
3
Book your BRP registration appointment at the gemeente — do this first
You are legally required to register at the City of Amsterdam within 5 days of arrival, but first-registration appointments are scarce and often booked weeks out, so reserve the slot before you even land (via amsterdam.nl, 'first registration'). EU citizens register here too — this is how EU nationals get their BSN. Registration is in person and free.
OnlineWho: Everyone (EU and non-EU)Appointment often several weeks out; book before arrivalFree
4
Attend the appointment and receive your BSN
Go in person with your identity document (national ID for EU/EEA/Swiss; passport plus residence-permit card for non-EU), your signed rental/purchase contract showing the address and start date, and your original — ideally legalised/apostilled and translated — birth certificate. On registering in the BRP you receive your BSN (burgerservicenummer), the number that gates salary, banking, health insurance and benefits.
In personWho: Everyone (EU and non-EU)BSN issued at or shortly after the appointmentFree
5
Apply for and activate DigiD
Once you have a BSN and are registered, apply for DigiD online at digid.nl — the national login used for nearly all government and many private services (tax, health insurance, municipal portals). An activation code arrives by post (~3 working days) to your registered address; enter it once to activate, then add the DigiD app. Without DigiD you cannot complete most Dutch admin online.
OnlineWho: Everyone (EU and non-EU)Activation code by post in roughly 3 working daysFree

Documents you’ll need

Valid passport (non-EU) or national ID card (EU/EEA/Swiss)
Residence-permit card or MVV entry visa (non-EU only)
Signed Amsterdam rental or purchase contract (proof of address with start date)
Original birth certificate — legalised/apostilled and translated where required (plus marriage certificate if married)

Things most newcomers don’t know

The BSN is the single key that unlocks everything else — get the appointment booked before you arrive.

You cannot be paid a salary, open a Dutch bank account, take out mandatory health insurance, or even apply for DigiD without a BSN, and the BSN only comes from BRP registration. Amsterdam's first-registration slots are genuinely scarce, so a late booking can stall your entire onboarding for weeks.

Source: I amsterdam — Registration

Insist your employer is an IND-recognised sponsor — it turns a 90-day wait into roughly two weeks.

The highly skilled migrant route is only open to recognised sponsors (erkend referent), and those applications are decided in about 2 weeks versus the 90-day legal maximum. A non-recognised employer simply cannot use this fast track.

Source: IND — Highly skilled migrant

An orientation year is the cheat code to the lower salary threshold.

A recent graduate who lands a job during or after the €254 orientation-year permit qualifies for the highly skilled migrant permit at the reduced threshold rather than the full one — a gap that decides whether many early-career roles are even viable.

Source: IND — Required amounts

The 30% ruling and the permit are separate but linked — and the salary maths interact.

The 30% ruling has its own wage norm distinct from the IND thresholds, and the tax-free portion does not count toward the IND salary requirement, so both norms must be satisfied on the gross figure — coordinate with payroll before signing.

Source: Business.gov.nl — 30% ruling

Common mistakes to avoid

Not pre-booking the BRP appointment — Amsterdam slots are often weeks out, so a job offer in hand is useless if you cannot get a BSN in time.
Assuming you file your own work permit: for the highly skilled migrant route only the recognised-sponsor employer can apply — if they're not recognised, this route is closed regardless of your qualifications.
Bringing an un-legalised or untranslated birth certificate — the gemeente can refuse it, and apostille/legalisation can take weeks to obtain after you've arrived.
Treating salary as a one-time check: the threshold is indexed every January, and if your pay dips below it your permit can be withdrawn — a real risk on part-time switches or unpaid leave.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.