Subsidy scheme for the employment of status holders (SOWIS)

Do you want to employ one or more asylum seekers with a residence permit (status holders)? Or did you recently hire them? And do you want to organise activities to reduce the differences in language and culture between them and your other employees? You can apply for the subsidy scheme for the employment of status holders (Subsidie Ondersteuning Werkgevers inzet Statushouders, SOWIS). You use this subsidy to teach the status holders the Dutch (professional) language and the culture and habits of your business, among other things.

What are the conditions for the SOWIS subsidy?

You can apply for the SOWIS subsidy if you meet the conditions, for example:

• You can apply for no more than 8 status holders, with either a temporary or permanent residence permit for asylum seekers.
• The status holders have an employment contract for at least 1 year, and for at least 20 hours a week.
• They have worked 6 months or less for you when you apply for the subsidy, or they have done paid work for you before. Volunteer work is exempt.
• The activities must include:

  • teaching them the Dutch language including technical language
  • teaching them the Dutch culture as well as your business culture
  • an onboarding programme and a buddy programme in which a status holder is paired with another employee
• The activities must take no more than 2 years.

View the conditions for the SOWIS subsidy at the Agency of Social Affairs and Employment (Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, Uitvoering van Beleid, in Dutch).

How to apply?

Before you can apply for the SOWIS subsidy, you need to register (in Dutch). With your application you must supply an activity plan and a de-minimis declaration (in Dutch).

You can apply for the SOWIS subsidy (in Dutch) from  8 June 2026, 09.00 hours until 30 September, 17.00 hours with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.