If you want to employ a highly skilled migrant from the Philippines, you will soon come across the term recognised sponsor. Without that recognition, you cannot apply for a highly skilled migrant. But what does recognition involve, what does the IND ask of you, and is it worthwhile for every employer?

This article explains what being a recognised sponsor means, which obligations come with it and what the alternatives are.

What is a recognised sponsor?

A sponsor is the organisation that supports a foreign employee’s residence application and is responsible for it. A recognised sponsor is a sponsor recognised by the IND as a reliable party. That recognition is mandatory for a number of residence purposes, including the highly skilled migrant scheme.

Recognition has practical advantages. A recognised sponsor submits applications through a simplified procedure and has to send fewer supporting documents. The IND assumes that the sponsor checks for itself whether the conditions are met.

Which conditions must you meet?

In assessing the application, the IND looks at matters including:

  • Registration. Your organisation is registered in the Commercial Register of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.
  • Continuity and solvency. Your organisation must show that its continuity and solvency are sufficiently assured. A young organisation sometimes supplies additional documents for this.
  • Reliability. The IND checks the organisation and the directors involved, for example for bankruptcies and previous fines.

You pay an application fee. The current amount is listed on the IND website.

How does the application work?

The application itself is straightforward, but it takes preparation. You generally go through these steps:

Work permits and document review on a desk

  1. Check the conditions. Determine whether your organisation meets the conditions and whether you can supply the requested documents on continuity and solvency.
  2. Form and supporting documents. You complete the IND application form and add the requested documents, such as an extract from the Commercial Register and financial information.
  3. Pay the fee. The application is only processed once the fee has been paid.
  4. Assessment and decision. The IND assesses the application and may ask additional questions. After a positive decision, your organisation is added to the public register of recognised sponsors.

Preferably do not combine the application for recognition with a vacancy that has to be filled immediately. Recognition must be in place before you can apply for a highly skilled migrant.

Which obligations come with it?

Recognition is not a one-off formality. As a recognised sponsor you have ongoing obligations:

  • Duty to inform. You report changes to the IND, for example when a highly skilled migrant leaves your employment or no longer meets the conditions. A fixed deadline applies.
  • Duty to keep records. You keep information about the employee and the application for a certain period, so that the IND can check it.
  • Duty of care. You select the employee carefully and inform the employee about the rules that apply to their stay.

If you do not meet these obligations, the IND can impose a fine or suspend or withdraw the recognition. That affects not only new applications, but also the employees already living in the Netherlands through your organisation.

When does your own recognition pay off?

Your own recognition makes sense mainly if you hire highly skilled migrants on a structural basis. You then control applications and extensions yourself and build up knowledge of the rules. On the other hand, you keep up the administration and reporting yourself, even when it concerns one or two employees.

If you hire a technician from the Philippines once or occasionally, the obligations often do not outweigh the benefits. There are alternatives in that case.

Alternative 1: working through a party that is a recognised sponsor

The employee can work at your company while another organisation, which is itself a recognised sponsor, takes on the role of employer. Recognition, reporting and administration then lie with that employer.

SkillShift is a recognised sponsor. In our model through SkillShift, we take over the role of employer, including the permit and housing. You receive a proposal after the feasibility check. You can read more about this model under staffing and secondment.

Alternative 2: the GVVA

For the combined residence and work permit (GVVA), you do not need to be a recognised sponsor. In exchange there is a labour market test by UWV. This route mainly suits roles for which you demonstrably cannot find suitable candidates in the Netherlands or the European Economic Area.

Alternative 3: Belgium

Do you also have a location in Belgium, or can the work be carried out there? Then the Belgian combined permit (single permit) may be an option, with its own conditions and its own procedure. Read more on our page about Filipino staff for Belgium.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to apply for recognition again for each highly skilled migrant? No. Recognition applies to your organisation. You then submit a residence permit application for each employee.

Does recognition also apply to other residence purposes? Recognition is granted for a specific residence purpose, such as work as a highly skilled migrant. If you also want to act as a sponsor for another purpose, check which conditions apply.

Can I give up the recognition again? Yes. Bear in mind that this has consequences for employees living in the Netherlands on the basis of your recognition.

Apply yourself or work through SkillShift?

Both choices are easy to defend. If you apply for recognition yourself, we align recruitment, the practical test and the Philippine DMW procedure with your application. If you would rather not carry that responsibility, the technician can work at your company through SkillShift.

On our page about Filipino technicians under the highly skilled migrant scheme you can see the two models side by side. Not sure? Request a feasibility check.