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Dutch for people moving to the Netherlands

You do not need to speak Dutch to move to the Netherlands on most work, study or EU-citizen routes: there is no language test for a highly skilled migrant permit, a student permit or an EU citizen registering. Dutch becomes a legal requirement in three situations — many family migrants must pass a basic A1 exam before arrival, people with a civic integration duty must reach B1 (or A2 under the older rules) after arrival, and anyone applying for permanent residence or Dutch citizenship must show integration-level Dutch. This page sets out which applies to you, which exam it means, and how much English will carry you in daily life.

Permits that need no Dutch

Most people who move for work or study never face a language requirement on arrival. The following generally have no Dutch test and no civic integration duty:

• EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, and their family members exercising free-movement rights. You register with the municipality; no language is involved.
• Highly skilled migrants (kennismigranten) and holders of the EU Blue Card. The permit depends on your salary and employer, not your Dutch.
• Students on a study permit, and researchers.
• Self-employed people and entrepreneurs, including Americans and Japanese nationals under the Dutch–American and Dutch–Japanese Friendship Treaties (often called DAFT and DJFT), and start-up permit holders.
• Other permits such as intra-company transfers and the orientation year for graduates.

The catch: none of these routes leads to settlement on its own. If you later want permanent residence or a Dutch passport, the language requirement catches up with you, as described below. A kennismigrant who stays ten years without learning Dutch can keep renewing, but cannot naturalise.

Before you arrive: the civic integration exam abroad

Partners and other family members joining someone in the Netherlands usually need a provisional residence permit (MVV), and to get one they must first pass the basisexamen inburgering buitenland at a Dutch embassy or consulate. It tests Dutch at A1 — speaking and reading — plus a Knowledge of Dutch Society section. The government publishes a self-study pack, Naar Nederland, built for this exam.

Not everyone has to take it. EU/EEA and Swiss family members do not, and nationals of several countries that do not need an MVV — among them the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea — are exempt from the exam abroad. Being exempt from the exam abroad does not automatically exempt you from integration after arrival; check both. The A1 guide describes the level, which takes most beginners roughly 80–100 hours.

After you arrive: inburgering

If you have a civic integration duty (inburgeringsplicht) — mainly non-EU family migrants and holders of asylum permits — DUO or your municipality will tell you. What you must pass depends on which law governs your duty:

• Wet inburgering 2021 (in force from 1 January 2022): the municipality assesses you and assigns a route. The standard B1-route targets B1 in reading, listening, writing and speaking, with an A2 fallback for people who cannot reach B1 despite sufficient effort. The onderwijsroute is for younger newcomers heading into Dutch education; the Z-route (self-reliance route) is for those for whom B1 is not realistic.
• Wet inburgering 2013: people whose duty began under the old law generally complete integration at A2.

Both include the Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM) test, which is a knowledge test rather than a language test. Missing the deadline can lead to fines and affect future residence applications. The full breakdown of components, routes and preparation is on the inburgering exam guide.

Permanent residence

After five years of continuous lawful residence you can usually apply for either a Dutch permanent residence permit (verblijfsvergunning voor onbepaalde tijd) or the EU long-term resident permit. One standard condition is that you have passed civic integration or hold an accepted alternative, such as a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma or certain Dutch-language education qualifications. This applies even to people who never had an integration duty: a highly skilled migrant who wants permanent residence has to sit the exams voluntarily. The level asked is linked to the integration regime that applies to you, so confirm the current requirement on ind.nl before you book anything.

Citizenship (naturalisation)

To naturalise as a Dutch citizen you must, among other conditions, show you are integrated, normally with an inburgering diploma or an NT2 diploma. The required level for naturalisation has historically been A2. The government has proposed raising it to B1, alongside other changes to the naturalisation conditions. Check whether that change has taken effect, and from which date, before planning around either level. People who already passed integration at B1, or hold NT2 Programma I or II, meet either standard. The authoritative source is the naturalisation section of ind.nl.

NT2 as the stronger alternative

The Staatsexamen NT2 is the state exam in Dutch as a second language, run through DUO. Programma I certifies B1 and Programma II certifies B2. Either one satisfies the language part of integration, permanent residence and naturalisation, and unlike the integration certificate it is recognised by employers and needed for entry to Dutch-taught higher education (usually Programma II). If you are aiming at B1 anyway, NT2 Programma I is often the more useful certificate to hold. You still need KNM and any other non-language parts of integration separately. Compare the options on the exams hub.

Summary: which level and which exam

If the CEFR letters are unfamiliar, CEFR levels for Dutch explains what each one means in practice.

How far does English get you?

Further than in almost any other non-English-speaking country. Most Dutch people under about 60 speak good English, and in the Randstad — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht — and in Eindhoven, with its tech and research cluster, many people live and work for years in English. Leiden, Delft, Groningen and other university towns also have large international communities.

Working in English is realistic in multinational head offices, tech and software, research and universities, start-ups, and much of finance and logistics. It is hard in healthcare, education, government, the legal sector, retail and hospitality outside tourist areas, and most jobs serving Dutch customers. Even in English-speaking workplaces, meetings drift into Dutch at lunch, and promotion into management often goes more smoothly with it. The work vocabulary and business phrases pages cover the basics.

Which cities are easiest in English? Amsterdam first, then The Hague (international organisations), Eindhoven, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Smaller towns and the north and east are noticeably more Dutch-speaking day to day. Coworking spaces and expat networks in the big cities run almost entirely in English, which is convenient but makes it easy never to practise.

Why learning Dutch still matters

• Paperwork. Letters from the municipality, the tax office (Belastingdienst), insurers and landlords arrive in Dutch. Many services have English pages, but the binding version is Dutch.
• Housing. The rental market is tight; listings, viewings and contracts are often Dutch-only, and outside the expat bubble landlords respond better to Dutch.
• Healthcare. GPs (huisartsen) usually speak English, but receptionists, pharmacy instructions, hospital letters and phone lines are often Dutch.
• Children and school. Unless you pay for international schooling, your children will be educated in Dutch, and parents’ evenings and school apps will be too.
• Social life. Dutch people switch to English to help you, which is kind but keeps you outside. Friendships, neighbours, sports clubs and partners’ families run in Dutch. Starting with introductions and insisting politely on Dutch is how most learners break through.
• Your status. If you might stay long term, permanent residence and citizenship both need it.

If you are moving to Belgium rather than the Netherlands, the same language is spoken in Flanders with some differences in accent and vocabulary; see Dutch vs Flemish.

A realistic plan

For an English speaker, these are rough cumulative study hours, as explained in how long it takes to learn Dutch:

A sensible sequence for a newcomer: start before the move with A1 basics, take a course or tutor in the first months while everything is new, and decide early whether you are aiming at integration level or at NT2. If your permit needs no Dutch, setting a target anyway — B1 within two years is achievable alongside a full-time job — keeps permanent residence and citizenship open. The study plan turns those hours into a weekly routine, the learn Dutch hub covers each stage, and courses, apps and practice exams are listed under resources.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak Dutch to live in the Netherlands?

Not to move there on most work, study or EU-citizen routes. Highly skilled migrants, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, students and DAFT entrepreneurs face no language test on arrival. Dutch becomes a legal requirement for many family and asylum migrants, and for anyone who later applies for permanent residence or Dutch citizenship.

Do I need Dutch for a highly skilled migrant permit?

No. The highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit has no Dutch language requirement and does not create a civic integration duty. Language only comes into play if you later apply for permanent residence or naturalisation.

What CEFR level do I need for Dutch residency?

It depends on the stage. The civic integration exam abroad is at A1. Civic integration in the Netherlands targets B1 under the Wet inburgering 2021 and A2 under the older 2013 law, and permanent residence requires a completed integration. Naturalisation has historically required A2, with a proposal to raise it to B1; check IND and DUO for the rule in force when you apply.

Which Dutch exam do I need to live in the Netherlands?

Family migrants from non-exempt countries take the basisexamen inburgering buitenland before arrival. After arrival, people with an integration duty take the inburgering exams. The Staatsexamen NT2 (Programma I or II) is accepted for the language part of integration and is the stronger qualification for work and study.

Can I work in the Netherlands in English only?

Yes, in many international companies, tech, research, universities and start-ups, especially in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Jobs in healthcare, education, government, retail and most customer-facing work generally expect Dutch.