Dutch Sponsor Check Checklist

A simple way to confirm a Dutch company can actually sponsor your move from the Philippines before you waste time applying.

Who this is for

Filipino devs applying to Dutch companies who keep seeing “visa sponsorship available” in job posts and want to confirm it is real before sending another CV.

What this helps you decide or do

You decide, in about five minutes per company, whether a role is worth your time. A company that is not a recognised sponsor with the IND usually cannot bring you over on a highly skilled migrant route, no matter how much they like you. This filters your list so you apply with intent, not hope.

Quick checklist

1. Open the IND public register of recognised sponsors and search the exact legal company name (check the name on the job post footer or their LinkedIn “About”, not just the brand name).
2. Confirm the name appears under the labour or highly skilled migrant category, not only a different category. If it is not there, treat “sponsorship” in the post as unverified.
3. If you find a parent company but not the entity hiring you, ask the recruiter which legal entity issues the contract and whether that entity is the registered sponsor.
4. Screenshot the register entry with the date visible, so you have your own record when you talk to the recruiter.
5. In your first recruiter reply, ask directly: “Are you a recognised sponsor with the IND, and would this role go through the highly skilled migrant route?” Save the answer in writing.
6. Ask whether they have hired from outside the EU before and roughly how long the process took. Past non-EU hires is a stronger signal than a checkbox in the job post.
7. Confirm who pays the IND and relocation costs. Get it in writing before you sign anything.
8. Check that the offered gross salary is meant to meet the current IND salary threshold for your age bracket. Ask them to confirm it clears it, since the number changes and differs under and over 30.
9. Note whether the role is permanent or via an intermediary or payroll company, since that affects which entity must be the sponsor.
10. Keep a small tracker (company, legal name, on register yes or no, route, recruiter answer date) so your applications stay organised.

Common mistakes

• Searching the brand name instead of the registered legal entity, then assuming the company is not a sponsor.
• Trusting “sponsorship available” in the post without ever confirming it with the recruiter in writing.
• Assuming any sponsor automatically means you qualify, when your salary or role still has to meet the route’s conditions.
• Ignoring which legal entity actually issues your contract when an agency or payroll provider is involved.

What to verify

Sponsor status changes over time, so check the live IND public register yourself each time rather than trusting an old screenshot or a third party. Confirm the current salary threshold for your age bracket and your exact situation with the employer or the IND, and get any cost and route promises in writing from the company.

Jake note

I came over by direct hire, and the single thing that saved me time was checking the register before applying instead of after. If a company is not on it, I did not chase them. It is not personal, it just means that route will not work there.