ONA: can you get an exemption?

Use this guide if Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt still appears in Mijn Inburgering (DUO’s online portal) or a DUO letter. It explains vrijstelling ONA through work, MAP, incapacity or early retirement. The MAP and ONA guide compares the two work modules. For the wider obligation, see inburgering (civic integration) in the Netherlands.

DUO’s knowledge-exams page (External site, opens in a new tab) says ONA applies only under the Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013) or to voluntary integration. You do not take ONA if any one of these applies:

• You must integrate under the Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021).
• You had to start integrating before 1 January 2015.
• You have a Dutch-taught entreeopleiding (entry-level vocational course) diploma at mbo (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, secondary vocational education) level 1. You became inburgeringsplichtig (required to integrate) between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2022.
• You want to naturalise and are entitled to AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet, Dutch state pension) because of your age.

Under the 2021 law, your PIP (Persoonlijk Plan Inburgering en Participatie, personal integration and participation plan) and Mijn Inburgering show whether you do MAP at your gemeente. If you also told DUO you voluntarily want the A2 inburgeringsdiploma (civic integration diploma), see the MAP section below.

For the entreeopleiding case above, DUO sends an exemption letter automatically (External site, opens in a new tab). You do not apply. The AOW exception for naturalisation (External site, opens in a new tab) is separate from full early retirement.

If ONA applies to you, check the exemption routes below. The ONA exam guide explains the portfolio, course and eindgesprek (final interview).

Check your DUO letter and Mijn Inburgering before applying. Continue to plan for ONA until DUO confirms your exemption. An ONA exemption removes this part only; other required parts remain.

DUO gives no refund if you paid for ONA before receiving an exemption.

If you worked in the Netherlands for 5 years or longer, check whether a broader integration exemption fits your situation.

To set up or recover DigiD (Dutch government login), use the guide to getting and using DigiD. For a login problem in Mijn Inburgering, use the DigiD troubleshooting guide.

Your gemeente reports MAP completion. For the other routes below, you apply yourself. DUO’s page and forms set each route’s conditions and evidence.

After you successfully complete MAP, your gemeente reports completion to DUO. DUO’s ONA exemption page (External site, opens in a new tab) describes two cases. You do not apply yourself in either case:

• Under the 2021 law, you have made a PIP with your gemeente and told DUO you voluntarily want the A2 inburgeringsdiploma. The gemeente enters the date of your MAP eindgesprek in your PIP.
• Under the 2013 law or voluntary integration, the gemeente sends the date of your MAP eindgesprek to DUO.

DUO says you receive an exemption letter within 8 weeks. Check that your gemeente has recorded or sent the date.

DUO’s 10 July 2025 notice about MAP instead of ONA (External site, opens in a new tab) says fewer ONA courses are available. If you cannot take an ONA course, ask your gemeente whether you can follow MAP instead. After you finish MAP, DUO checks whether you qualify for the exemption.

For paid employment in the Netherlands, you apply yourself. You need all three conditions:

• You worked in loondienst (as an employee).
• You worked in at least 6 of the 12 months before applying.
• You worked at least 48 hours in each of those 6 months.

For example, 6 months with 48 hours each meet the hours and months conditions. More hours in fewer months do not replace the 6-month condition.

Apply in Mijn Inburgering. If you cannot log in, use Aanvraag vrijstelling Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (External site, opens in a new tab) (application for an ONA exemption; PDF, 135 KB). The documents depend on the law that applies to you; the evidence table below separates these cases. DUO says you receive a decision within 8 weeks.

For a business in the Netherlands, you need at least one of three routes. The self-employed ONA exemption form (External site, opens in a new tab) (PDF, 160 KB) gives the conditions:

• Profit: your business was registered with the KvK (Kamer van Koophandel, Chamber of Commerce) for at least 6 of the past 12 months. Your nettowinst (net profit) meets the required minimum.
• Bbz: you meet the registration and support conditions below under the Besluit bijstandverlening zelfstandigen 2004 (Bbz 2004, support scheme for self-employed people).
• Residence permit: when you apply, your permit has one of the five self-employed residence purposes listed below.

For the profit route, DUO’s web page accepts profit over the past 12 months or the previous calendar year. You also need to have filed btw (VAT) returns. For a business other than a vof (vennootschap onder firma, general partnership) or maatschap (professional partnership), you can instead show a deferral or exemption from filing. The KOR (kleineondernemersregeling, small business scheme) is one example.

For a vof or maatschap, your income from the partnership must meet the same minimum. You must have filed btw returns. An accountant or administratiekantoor (accounting office) completes your income statement.

DUO’s displayed profit figure may not reflect the 1 July 2026 minimum-wage change. Before applying through the profit route, call DUO on 050 599 96 00 to confirm which minimum applies to your application.

DUO’s exemption page (External site, opens in a new tab) displays €4,575.40. The published rule for requests from 2024 (External site, opens in a new tab) uses the minimum hourly wage including holiday allowance. Minimum-wage amounts (External site, opens in a new tab) changed on 1 July 2026. These sources do not explain which amount DUO will apply to your request. Ask DUO to confirm the applicable amount and indexation date; do not replace its displayed figure with your own calculation.

For Bbz, your business must have been registered with the KvK for at least 6 of the past 12 months. You must also have received Bbz support in at least 6 of those months. The published ONA exemption rule (External site, opens in a new tab) excludes support during the preparatory period before starting a business.

The self-employed form lists these five residence purposes. Your permit must have one of them when you apply. The purpose is on the back of your permit.

• 377 Arbeid als zelfstandige (work as a self-employed person).
• 432 EG-er zelfstandige (self-employed national of a European Community country).
• 453 Zelfstandige NL-VS verdrag (self-employed under the Netherlands–US treaty).
• 477 Innovatieve start-up (innovative start-up).
• 510 Zelfstandige NL-JAP handelsverdrag (self-employed under the Netherlands–Japan trade treaty).

The web page asks self-employed applicants to post the form, jaarcijfers (annual accounts) and other evidence. The form also allows an upload. For the residence-purpose route, the form explicitly says you need no evidence. Ask DUO whether to include jaarcijfers for that route; the two instructions differ.

If no exemption applies, you must still complete the ONA portfolio. DUO’s explanatory notes (External site, opens in a new tab) say entrepreneurs choose the beroep (occupation) they would want at a company if they no longer had their business. Fill in all 8 resultaatkaarten (result cards) for that occupation. You do not need to describe how to run a business. The ONA portfolio and result cards guide explains the tasks.

DUO’s separate work route covers you if any one of these applies:

• You are a DGA and did your work in the Netherlands at a Dutch establishment.
• You work in loondienst for a Dutch branch of an international organisation or company.
• You work in loondienst for an employer that pays no Dutch social premiums for you.

In all three cases, you need at least 48 hours a month in at least 6 of the 12 months before applying. A DGA’s company also needs KvK registration for at least 6 of those 12 months. Use Aanvraag vrijstelling ONA internationale organisatie & DGA (External site, opens in a new tab) (application for an ONA exemption for an international organisation or DGA; PDF, 127 KB). The form asks for four documents, listed below.

DUO may grant an ONA exemption if you are volledig arbeidsongeschikt (fully incapacitated for work) or volledig met vervroegd pensioen (fully on early retirement). Use the general ONA exemption form (External site, opens in a new tab) (PDF, 135 KB). The evidence table below gives the required decision or declaration; unemployment alone is not one of these conditions.

Use the evidence list for your route. Before sending, compare it with the current form.

In October 2026, the general form includes an employment evidence list for people under the 2021 law. ONA is outside their integration obligation. If you are required to integrate under the 2021 law and also want the A2 diploma voluntarily, the form requires all four documents listed below.

In October 2026, DUO’s web page asks self-employed applicants for jaarcijfers. The form lists the other evidence below and makes an exception for the residence-purpose route.

For full incapacity, the general form asks for a UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, the employee insurance agency) decision. For full early retirement, it asks for an SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank, social insurance bank) declaration.

For MAP, your gemeente reports completion. For paid employment, you can apply directly in Mijn Inburgering. If you use one of the three application forms, follow these steps:

1. Complete the form for your route.
2. Sign the form.
3. Collect the documents listed for your route.
4. Upload the form and evidence in Mijn Inburgering, under Digitale Formulieren (digital forms), then Formulier uploaden (upload form).

If you cannot upload, post the form and evidence to DUO, Servicecentrum Inburgering, Postbus 764, 9700 AT Groningen. The exemption web page gives postal instructions for self-employment and international employers; their forms also allow an upload. DUO says you receive a decision within 8 weeks.

If DUO refuses your exemption and you disagree, DUO’s objection instructions (External site, opens in a new tab) say to call 050 599 96 00 first. You have 6 weeks after the decision to object. The decision letter states when DUO must receive your objection; check that date before calling.

If DUO cannot resolve the problem, follow these steps:

1. Complete Bezwaarschrift ONA (External site, opens in a new tab) (ONA notice of objection; PDF, 117 KB). Explain why you disagree.
2. Sign the form.
3. Add a copy of DUO’s decision letter and the evidence for your route.
4. Submit it in Mijn Inburgering, or upload it under Digitale Formulieren, then Formulier uploaden.

For work in loondienst, include contracts, payslips showing enough hours and bank statements showing wages. They must show at least 48 hours a month in at least 6 of the past 12 months. For an international organisation or company, or an employer paying no Dutch social premiums, also include proof you did the work in the Netherlands.

The objection form names evidence only for loondienst. For self-employment, incapacity or early retirement, ask DUO what to add. If someone else sends your objection, DUO’s page says to add a Machtiging (authorisation form).

If you cannot log in, post the signed form and evidence to Servicecentrum Inburgering, Postbus 764, 9700 AT Groningen. Put everything in one envelope and write “Bezwaarschrift” on it.

If you completed MAP, check that your gemeente has reported it. If a work, incapacity or early-retirement route fits, apply with its form and evidence. If DUO refused your request, check the receipt deadline in the decision letter before objecting.

Continue to plan for ONA until DUO confirms your exemption. Check eligibility before paying for the exam: an exemption does not bring a refund.

• Mijn Inburgering: what you can arrange in the portal.
• ONA exam: portfolio, course and final interview.
• Inburgering exemptions: fewer or no exams.