Beginning in January 2026, the Netherlands will tighten its salary proof requirements for skilled migrants.

Beginning in January 2026, the Netherlands will tighten its salary proof requirements for skilled migrants.

Employers of highly skilled migrants and holders of EU Blue Cards will be required by the Netherlands to demonstrate that salaries were paid as of January 2026. Paystubs by themselves are insufficient, which forces businesses to strengthen their payroll and compliance procedures.

Companies in the Netherlands that employ highly qualified immigrants or holders of European Blue Cards will be subject to more stringent wage verification regulations as of January 1, 2026. Recognized sponsors will now need to present more than just payslips to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) as confirmation that salaries have been paid.

What's Shifting
Employers currently simply need to provide paystubs as evidence of salary payment when hiring overseas workers. The new regulation goes one step farther. As of 2026, approved sponsors will need to provide proof that the employee's income was deposited into their personal bank account.


Documents that are acceptable could be:

a transaction-related statement from the business bank account of the corporation.
An overview or synopsis of the salary batch payments each month.
any further documentation that unequivocally attests to the employee's salary receipt.
Instead of only seeming compliant on paper, the IND aims to guarantee that highly qualified migrants are actually paid the salaries specified in their job contracts.

The Significance of the Change
The goal of this upgrade is to improve the Dutch skilled migration system's integrity. According to reports, several businesses submitted paystubs without paying the entire amount due, undermining both the legitimacy of the acknowledged sponsor system and the rights of employees.

The new requirement entails extra administrative work for employers. Payroll teams must modify their paperwork procedures to incorporate evidence of salary transfers. Upgrades to internal record-keeping systems may also be necessary for the easy storage and retrieval of payment evidence.

What Companies Need to Do Right Now
Employers who want to hire talented migrants should get ready in advance
Here's how:

1.Examine payroll systems: Verify whether salary transfers to employees' accounts are readily visible in the current records.
2.Update processes: Make sure payroll and HR personnel are aware of how to gather and preserve the necessary documentation.
3.Talk to banks: When necessary, work with your bank or financial department to obtain clear payment statements.
4.Examine contracts: Verify that the terms of payment specified in employment agreements comply with IND regulations.

Penalties or even suspension of recognized sponsor status could result from noncompliance, which could affect future hiring opportunities for foreign talent.


In Synopsis
Paystubs by themselves won't be sufficient starting in January 2026. Employers in the Netherlands are required to demonstrate that salaries were transferred to the personal accounts of skilled migrants. Although the modification might not seem like much, it has significant implications for compliance.

The time to improve payroll controls and keep ahead of the new immigration compliance criteria is now for companies that depend on foreign personnel.