Non-EU students approaching graduation often expect a single conversion step from study to work status, and no such step exists. The route most graduates take runs through an intermediate permit, and skipping it carries a salary-threshold consequence worth understanding before the student permit lapses.
Not directly — there's no single-step switch, but there's a well-worn two-step path most graduates use. First, apply for the zoekjaar (orientation year) permit within three years of graduating, which gives you a full year of unrestricted labour market access without needing a work permit at all — you can work for anyone, doing anything, while you search. Once you land a job, your new employer, assuming they're an IND-recognised sponsor, applies to convert that into a Highly Skilled Migrant permit, and because you're coming from an orientation year, you get the reduced salary threshold (€3,122/month gross as of 2026) instead of the full €4,357–€5,942 range. It is technically possible to skip the zoekjaar and go straight from student status to an HSM permit if a qualifying job offer lands before your student permit expires, but then the higher standard threshold applies, since the discount is tied to holding or being eligible for the orientation year. Most graduates find the zoekjaar route easier precisely because it removes the pressure of needing a job offer lined up before the student permit runs out.