Do highly skilled migrants have to take the inburgering exam?
Last checked: 29 October 2026
No, not while you live here on a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit. Dutch integration law treats that permit as a temporary purpose of stay, so you have no civic integration duty, and neither do a partner and children on a family permit with you. You only need the inburgering exam if you want permanent residence or Dutch citizenship.
| Your situation | Duty to integrate? | When you need the diploma |
|---|---|---|
| Highly skilled migrant permit | No | For permanent residence or naturalisation |
| EU Blue Card | No | For permanent residence or naturalisation |
| Partner or child of a highly skilled migrant, on a family permit | No | For permanent residence or naturalisation |
| Citizen of an EU country, the EEA or Switzerland | No | For naturalisation, unless exempt |
| Partner of a Dutch citizen, from outside the EU | Usually yes | Within your integration period |
Sources: Wet inburgering 2021, article 3, Besluit inburgering 2021, article 2.2, IND.
More Dutch is not affiliated with DUO or the IND. Immigration rules depend on your exact permit. Check your case on ind.nl or in Mijn Inburgering.
Why highly skilled migrants have no duty to integrate
Under the Wet inburgering 2021, the duty to integrate applies to people from outside the EU, aged 16 up to state pension age, who live here "other than for a temporary purpose" (wetten.overheid.nl). Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland are left out, and so are their family members who live here under EU free movement rules.
The decree that goes with the law lists which permits count as temporary. That list includes work as a highly skilled migrant, the EU Blue Card, self-employment, paid employment, intra-company transfer, research and study. It also includes family members of someone who is here for one of those temporary purposes (Besluit inburgering 2021, article 2.2).
So a kennismigrant does not get the DUO letter about integration, and neither does their partner on a family permit. If you do get a letter from DUO, check Mijn Inburgering. Your permit may have changed, or you may be there for another reason.
The same permit counts as long-term for citizenship
This is where many expats get confused. For the integration duty, a highly skilled migrant permit is temporary. For naturalisation, the IND counts the same permit as non-temporary. Highly skilled migrant and EU Blue Card are both on the IND's list of non-temporary purposes (ind.nl).
In practice this means the years you live here on a highly skilled migrant permit count towards the 5 years of residence you need to naturalise. Family members of a highly skilled migrant are on that list too. The government has proposed raising the 5 years to 10 (rijksoverheid.nl), but on the date we checked, 5 years was still the rule. See how long it takes to get Dutch citizenship.
When you do need the exam
The IND separates two things: the civic integration duty (inburgeringsplicht), which DUO runs, and the integration requirement for a stronger permit, which the IND checks when you apply (ind.nl). Having no duty does not exempt you from the requirement.
You need a civic integration diploma when you apply for:
- a permanent regular residence permit,
- a long-term EU resident permit,
- naturalisation as a Dutch citizen. The IND asks for the civic integration exam at language level A2 or higher (ind.nl).
Some people are exempt, for example if you are under 18 or of state pension age, lived here for 8 years or more during school age, or have certain Dutch diplomas (ind.nl). A Staatsexamen NT2 diploma at B1 or B2 also meets the requirement for naturalisation (ind.nl).
Which exams a highly skilled migrant takes
Without a duty, you integrate voluntarily. For naturalisation the IND lists these parts (ind.nl):
| Part | Do you need it? |
|---|---|
| Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking at A2 | Yes, €50 each |
| KNM (Knowledge of Dutch Society) | Yes, €50, 40 questions in 45 minutes |
| ONA (labour market orientation) | Often not: you are exempt if you worked at least 48 hours a month in at least 6 of the last 12 months |
| Participation statement (PVT) | No, if you never had a duty to integrate |
Most kennismigranten work full time, so the ONA exemption usually applies. Check it against your own hours before you skip it. If you want Dutch for your job, the Nt2 state exam at B1 replaces the four A2 language exams. Inburgering exam A2 or B1 helps you choose.
You register yourself for the exams with DigiD. The steps are in how to register for the inburgering exam, and every fee is in inburgering exam cost.
Plan it around your 5-year mark
Exams take time to arrange. Getting a date can take more than 6 weeks (inburgeren.nl). KNM, Reading and Listening results come within 8 weeks, and for now Speaking and Writing A2 can take up to 16 weeks (DUO news).
A simple plan for someone who wants to naturalise after 5 years:
- Years 1 to 3: learn Dutch alongside work. Short daily practice beats a crash course in year 5.
- Year 4: take KNM first. It is the part you can study for most directly, with our KNM chapter guides.
- Year 4 to 5: take the four language exams, so all results are in before you apply.
Try a free 15-question KNM drill to see where you stand, or sign up for one KNM question a week and build it up slowly.
For the full list of naturalisation rules, read Dutch citizenship requirements. For the exam itself, start with the inburgering exam guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do kennismigranten have to integrate in the Netherlands?
No. A highly skilled migrant permit is a temporary purpose under the integration law, so there is no civic integration duty.
Does my partner have to take the inburgering exam?
Not if your partner lives here on a family permit with you as a highly skilled migrant. Family members of someone with a temporary purpose have no duty either. They need the exam only for permanent residence or citizenship.
Do I need the inburgering exam for permanent residence?
Usually yes. The IND asks for a civic integration diploma for a permanent regular residence permit and a long-term EU resident permit, unless you are exempt.
Do my years as a highly skilled migrant count for naturalisation?
Yes. For naturalisation the IND treats a highly skilled migrant permit as non-temporary, so those years count towards the 5-year residence rule.
Which level do I need for Dutch citizenship?
A2 or higher, on the date we checked. An Nt2 diploma at B1 or B2 also counts.
Does my partner need the exam abroad before coming?
Usually not. A partner joining someone with a temporary-purpose permit is exempt from the exam abroad. More in the Dutch civic integration exam abroad.