Side by side
| DAFT | Highly skilled migrant | |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Your own business | A recognised Dutch employer |
| Financial bar | €4,500 equity, stays yours | Monthly salary thresholds, indexed yearly |
| Who controls your status | You | The employment relationship |
| First permit | Up to 2 years, then renewable | Tied to the contract duration |
| Family | Full work rights for partner | Full work rights for partner |
| Expat ruling | Via your own BV’s payroll: how | Via the employer’s payroll |
How to decide
Decide whose payroll you want to be on in the first year. If you have a signed offer from a recognised Dutch sponsor, the migrant permit is the easier choice. The employer handles the filing, and you receive the permit. If you have your own income, DAFT is the stronger choice. This income can be from clients, from a US company that hires you as a contractor, or from your own product. With DAFT, you work independently, you can renew the permit as long as the business and the capital stay in place, and your status is separate from any one job.
Switching later
Both work. Employees on a migrant permit who decide to start a business can switch to DAFT by registering the business and filing the change. DAFT founders who accept a corporate role can switch the other way. Years in either status count toward the same five-year clock for permanent residence: relocating to permanent residence.
Does your company want its European entity in the Netherlands? See setting up a Dutch subsidiary for the steps, the costs and a comparison with other countries.
Are the Dutch terms new to you? Start with company formation in the Netherlands for non-residents. There you can read about the legal forms, the documents, the costs and the comparison with Germany.
The long term, and the alternatives
- Renewal after two years: what the IND looks at
- From DAFT to permanent residence and citizenship
- DAFT or the Dutch startup visa
- DAFT compared with every other Dutch option
- DAFT questions answered: what Americans ask us most
- Your rights and obligations under the DAFT treaty
- The requirements checklist: every condition and document
All twenty-one guides are together on the DAFT hub, grouped in the order of the steps.
Your DAFT permit, arranged with us
We arrange your DAFT application. An immigration lawyer from our network prepares it and files it with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). We set up your company and business bank account and provide the company documents your application needs. The IND decides on your permit.