Why Expats on a highly skilled migrant visa are likely ineligible for Dutch housing allowance (Huurtoeslag)

Expats coming to the Netherlands on a highly skilled migrant visa often find themselves ineligible for Dutch housing allowance, known as huurtoeslag. This government benefit is designed to help lower-income households cover rental costs, but many highly skilled migrants do not meet key eligibility requirements.

One major factor is rent price. For 2024, to qualify for huurtoeslag, your rental property’s monthly rent must fall between €270 and a maximum of €808.06 (for those under 23) or €1,027.37 (for those 23 and older). Highly skilled migrants, particularly in cities like Amsterdam or The Hague, tend to rent apartments that exceed these limits due to the higher cost of living and demand for housing in urban areas.

Another significant criterion is income. In 2024, the minimum monthly gross salary for a highly skilled migrant age 30 or older is €5,331. For migrants under age 30, the minimum monthly gross salary is €3,909. For graduates of Dutch universities and Highly Educated Migrants of any age, the minimum monthly gross salary is €2,801. These amounts are indexed annually for inflation and do not include vacation pay, which is typically around 8% of the annual salary. Given these salary thresholds, highly skilled migrants generally earn well above the income limits for huurtoeslag, which is around €34,700 for a single person and €46,000 for couples or multi-person households.

In summary, while huurtoeslag is a useful support for lower-income residents, highly skilled migrants typically earn too much and rent properties above the eligible price range, making them ineligible for this benefit.