'Immediately After Graduation' and the 30% Ruling
Dutch master's graduates: courts read 'immediately after graduation' more flexibly than consultancies will admit. Here is what it really means.
by the founder
"Immediately after graduation" is the phrase that decides most Dutch master's graduate cases. The short answer: it does not mean the week after your defence. Courts have interpreted it as a reasonable continuous period, normally accommodating a zoekjaar of up to twelve months, provided you can show continuity of effort.
What the rule actually says
The text requires that the qualifying employment follow on from the studies without a meaningful interruption. The legislative intent, confirmed in case law, is to prevent long gaps that would break the link, not to police the exact week.
What the courts have said
Multiple Court of Appeal rulings (including ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2020:1946 and case 22/01157) have accepted gaps of several months where the applicant was actively searching for a qualifying role, particularly during a zoekjaar visa. The line is drawn at evidence of continuity rather than a fixed number of days.
What this means in practice
- 0 to 3 months: rarely contested.
- 3 to 12 months on a zoekjaar with documented job search: usually accepted.
- 12 to 24 months: contestable; document everything.
- Over 24 months: treated as a separate case, the graduate exception rarely applies.
How to document continuity
Save your zoekjaar IND letter, dated job applications, recruiter correspondence, interview invitations, and the offer letter. The annex to your application should summarise these into a brief timeline. The reviewer is not hostile, but they need something to point at.
Next
If you fit this profile, take the 30% Check. For a quick view of related edge cases, see the Casebook.