At a glance
An innovative Dutch startup may be able to hire you through the essential start-up personnel pilot if your specialist skills are essential to its growth. This employee permit is for people who are not EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens. Business founders use the separate start-up permit.
- Who can apply
- Essential employee of a Dutch start-up
- Company
- Innovative and scalable start-up, usually with no more than 15 employees
- Pilot
- Current pilot runs through 1 June 2028
Summary
The Netherlands’ essential startup-personnel pilot lets a qualifying innovative startup recruit an employee whose expertise is essential to its development. It is an employment category for essential staff, rather than a general founder visa. The current pilot runs through June 1, 2028.
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Confirm the company and specialist role Check startup size, innovation, and the need for the applicant’s expertise.
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Document the employment and participation terms Prepare the contract, current salary, and required unconditional participation.
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Startup files the case for IND and RVO review Verify the pilot’s current availability and remaining application requirements.
This is an employee route, not the founder startup permit or a permit for any small company.
Eligibility
EEA means the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
The Dutch company must be innovative and scalable. Innovation can mean a product or service new to the Netherlands, new technology in production, distribution, or marketing, or a new way of working and organizing. The start-up can have no more than 15 employees and can sponsor no more than 5 foreign employees under the pilot.
The employee must:
- be an expert in a special field needed at this stage of the start-up;
- have an employment contract with the start-up;
- earn at least €3,122 gross per month excluding holiday allowance in 2026; and
- receive employee participation of at least 1% of the company or a participation interest worth at least €65,000.
Participation may be in shares, depositary receipts, or share options. It must be granted within 3 years after the contract starts, and entitlement cannot depend on performance conditions or targets.
RVO advises IND about the company's innovation and scalability, the employee's major role, and the participation arrangement. Its company advice is generally valid for 3 years from the first employee's permit start date.
More about this route
The pilot has been extended through 1 June 2028. The start-up, job, salary, and employee participation must all meet detailed rules, and IND asks the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) to assess the company and role.
What This Route Allows
The employee may work for the sponsoring start-up without a separate work permit. Another employer needs a work permit for other employment.
The permit follows the employment contract and is valid for up to 3 years. It can be extended for up to another 3 years if the requirements and pilot framework continue to allow it. Family members can normally accompany the employee, and a partner is generally free to work.
After 5 qualifying years of Dutch residence, permanent residence may be possible if the person meets the separate requirements.
What This Route Is Not
It is not a founder visa, a permit for any small company, or a route based only on a promising interview. The applicant needs an actual employment contract. A start-up with more than 15 employees, a routine role, salary below the threshold, or participation below the required level does not fit the pilot.
It also does not allow unrestricted work for other employers. When the pilot or start-up job ends, the employee needs an extension that remains available or a different residence route.
Next Steps
- Confirm that the company has no more than 15 employees and that the role is genuinely essential.
- Put the employment contract, 2026 salary, and unconditional participation terms in writing.
- Prepare evidence of the company's innovation, scalability, business activity, and the employee's specialist role.
- Have the start-up submit the application and RVO material; employer recognition by IND is not required.
- Recheck the pilot end date and current salary immediately before filing.
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