Changes in immigration regulations can easily slip under the radar, yet they directly affect how you hire and support international employees.
With the IND’s new fees and compliance measures coming into force, we’ve summarised what’s important and how you can stay one step ahead.
What’s changing
From 1 January 2026, the IND fees for many residence permit categories will increase via automatic indexing (approx. 4.4% rise). Key examples include:
- Family-/partner-reunification: €254 (grant/modify & extension)
- Study: €254
- Knowledge migrant, EU Blue Card, self-employment, paid employment: €423 (grant/modify & extension)
Additionally, new record-keeping rules apply for recognised sponsors of knowledge migrants or EU Blue Card holders: you must now retain proof of actual salary payment (for example, business bank statements showing the salary credited in the employee’s name).
Why this matters
- Budgeting & planning: If you’re filing applications around the turn of the year, you’ll need to account for the higher fee levels.
- Transparency to candidates: Clear communication about cost expectations builds trust and helps avoid surprises.
- Compliance readiness: For recognized sponsors of knowledge migrants and employers of EU Blue Card holders — meeting the new proof-of-payment requirement is not optional; it supports smoother IND checks and a stronger compliance posture.
- Process alignment: Ensuring your internal checklists and partner workflows reflect these updates keeps you ahead of pain points and strengthens your international-hiring engine.
What Rock Payroll recommends
- Review upcoming filings — Identify which applications fall into the categories affected and flag any where the fee change applies.
- Update your internal comms — Ensure your recruitment teams, hiring managers and candidates understand the fee change and process implications.
- Strengthen your documentation — For knowledge migrants and Blue Card holders, start collecting and retaining clear proof of salary payment now, even for filings ahead of the formal start date.
- Use expert support — Rock Payroll is ready to walk you through the practical steps and help you avoid missteps in application and documentation.
Let’s keep your global talent-pipeline moving
If you’re planning to hire or onboard non-EU talent, now’s a smart time to take action. Contact Rock Payroll today to walk through the updated fees, review your timelines and ensure your process is fully aligned. Together, we’ll keep your hiring vibrant, compliant and efficient.
Book a call with us and discover how to minimise disruption and keep the momentum going.