Recognised sponsorship is used by acting as a recognised sponsor to submit applications for residence permits and/or work permits for international employees. You receive faster processing of residence permit applications (within 2 weeks), need to submit fewer documents, and can apply online via the Business Portal. For highly skilled migrants, researchers, and au pairs, recognised sponsorship is mandatory.
What is recognised sponsorship and how does it work exactly?
Recognised sponsorship is a status granted by the IND to reliable organisations that regularly want to bring foreign employees to the Netherlands. As a recognised sponsor, you can submit applications for visas (MVV) and residence permits on behalf of your employees. The system works on the basis of trust: because your organisation has been screened in advance, you need to provide fewer supporting documents with each application.
The difference compared to regular work permit procedures is significant. Without recognised sponsorship, you must submit extensive documentation about your company and demonstrate reliability with every application. As a recognised sponsor, you are already approved, which means the procedure runs much faster.
You can apply for recognised sponsorship in four categories: study, exchange, research, and work. For highly skilled migrants, recognised sponsorship is mandatory, except for employees with Turkish nationality. For regular employees, seasonal workers, and ICT permits, it is optional but advantageous.
What benefits does recognised sponsorship offer employers?
The greatest benefits of recognised sponsorship are speed and administrative simplification. The IND aims to process applications from recognised sponsors within 2 weeks, although some cases can take up to 7 weeks when a work permit is required. This is considerably faster than the standard procedure.
You need to submit far fewer documents with each application because your reliability and solvency have already been established. This saves time and administrative burden for your HR department. In addition, you can submit all applications online via the Business Portal, which further streamlines the process.
There is no minimum or maximum number of applications per year. This gives you the flexibility to hire international employees as needed without losing your recognised status. The cost savings come primarily from reduced administration and faster turnaround times, allowing new employees to start sooner.
How do you apply for recognised sponsorship with the IND?
The application procedure for recognised sponsorship consists of several steps and takes a maximum of 90 days. Start by checking the requirements on ind.nl to see whether recognition is mandatory for your situation and which conditions apply.
Gather all required documents, which vary depending on the situation. For companies that have existed for more than 1.5 years, the procedure is simpler than for younger organisations. Download the application form from ind.nl and attach all requested documents before sending it to the IND.
The costs amount to €4,866 for most organisations (in 2025). For companies that have existed for less than 1.5 years or have fewer than 50 employees worldwide, a reduced rate of €2,432 applies (in 2025). After receiving your application, you will receive payment instructions from the IND.
Organisations that have existed for more than 1.5 years usually receive a decision within 8–12 weeks. For younger companies, the procedure can take up to 6 months because the RVO then provides advice on continuity and solvency.
What are the obligations as a recognised sponsor?
As a recognised sponsor, you have various ongoing obligations to maintain your status. You must remain registered with the Chamber of Commerce and must not have any arrears in social contributions and payroll taxes. The directors must remain reliable, and the IND may request a Certificate of Good Conduct.
Your organisation must not have been declared bankrupt in recent years and must ensure sufficient continuity and solvency. In the event of changes in shareholder structure, acquisitions, or other significant changes, you must report these to the IND.
You must also comply with applicable codes of conduct. If your organisation is involved in staffing activities, you must be registered with the Stichting Normering Arbeid (SNA) and report any termination of this registration.
For which employees can you use recognised sponsorship?
Recognised sponsorship can be used for various categories of international employees, each with specific conditions. For highly skilled migrants, it is mandatory and salary requirements apply: a minimum of €5,688 per month (in 2025) for employees aged 30 and over, and €4,171 (in 2025) for employees under 30 years of age.
For researchers under EU Directive 2016/801, recognised sponsorship is also mandatory. The same applies to au pairs and exchange students. For these categories, you cannot submit applications without recognised sponsorship.
Optional but advantageous is recognised sponsorship for regular employees, seasonal workers, employees with a work-study permit, intra-company transfers (ICT), and holders of the European Blue Card. For these groups, you can also submit applications without recognised status, but with more administration and longer turnaround times.
A separate application applies to each category. If you want to hire different types of international employees, you must apply for recognised sponsorship separately for each category.
Recognised sponsorship is a valuable tool for organisations that regularly hire international employees. It streamlines processes, saves time, and gives you greater flexibility in international recruitment. At Eastwing, we help companies with the complete process from application to ongoing compliance, so you can make the most of the benefits of recognised sponsorship. For more information about our immigration services or to schedule a no-obligation consultation, you can contact us.
