What is a ‘Zoekjaar’?

The new ‘Orientation Year Highly-Educated Persons’ (zoekjaar) residence permit replaces, combines and extends the former Orientation year for graduates and the Orientation year for highly-educated persons permits. The new permit allows talented, highly-educated foreigners to apply for this residence permit within 3 years of completing a study or research project (specific conditions apply).

Responsible Authority

• Immigration and Naturalization Service (Immigrate en-Naturalisatiedienst, IND)

https://ind.nl/en/work/Pages/Looking-for-a-job-after-study-promotion-or-research.aspx

Advantages

The permit is valid for one year during which the permit holder is allowed to work without any restrictions. After the Orientation Year permit expires, employers may hire the highly-educated foreigner as a highly skilled migrant but with a reduced salary level compared to a regular highly skilled migrant. In 2018, this reduced salary is EUR 2.2314 gross per month, excluding vacation pay.

Another advantage is that people may apply for the one year permit within 3 years of completion of each degree or research position.

Eligibility Criteria

• You have not previously had a residence permit to look for work after study, doctoral program or scientific research on the basis of completing the same study or doctoral program or performing the same scientific research.
• If you have completed several programs or researches, each study program, doctoral program or scientific research must have been completed or performed after your previous orientation year.
• In the past three years you must have fulfilled one of the following conditions:

Things to keep in mind

For a complete listing of all the relevant conditions, please view the IND website. Additional information can also be found at the Nuffic website, at:

https://www.hollandalumni.nl/career

Which documents will you need?

• Application for the purpose of residence of ‘looking for work and carrying out work whether or not as an employee’ (foreign national)
• Valid passport
• Depending on the condition you comply with in order to apply, different documents will be needed from you. These documents are listed in the application form from the IND mentioned above, under the section ‘Means of evidence’.

https://ind.nl/en/Forms/7523.pdf