HOW TO FIND A JOB IN THE NETHERLANDS
Netherlands is a small Western European country, with a fairly comfortable location between Germany and Belgium, washed by the North Sea. Despite the small area, Dutch cities have a high population density, and the country has a total population of about 17.6 million people.
Jobs in the Netherlands for foreigners in 2024 will not only increase the level of income, but also provide an opportunity to temporarily settle in the heart of Europe, a country with a favorable climate and plenty of places for tourist outings. And who knows, maybe employment in the Netherlands and even serve as an option for long-term immigration, followed by a Dutch passport.
Holland has the sixth largest economy in the European Union and is one of the main transport interchanges between these countries. Of course, this promotes trade relations and has a positive effect on Dutch exports and imports. As a matter of fact, the Netherlands is one of the largest food exporters in the world.
Despite the fact that the agricultural sector employs only 2% of the local labor force, such type of labor migration as seasonal work in the Netherlands, for example in greenhouses, is very popular among foreigners, and vacancies in this market are quite sufficient. At the same time, the high-tech industry, where qualified foreign specialists can find work, is also on the rise.
Just look at world-famous Dutch multinationals Philips and Shell Group. Unemployment in the Netherlands is 3–4%. This is quite an acceptable indicator for developed European countries. In this article we will talk about available vacancies and salaries in the Netherlands in 2024, variants of job search without intermediaries and specifics of labor migration to this country.
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How to go to work in the Netherlands
Employment in the Netherlands for foreigners from countries outside the European Union entails a number of procedural requirements. As distinct from Europeans and locals, citizens from third countries need to obtain a special permit in order to legally work in the Netherlands.
What is meant by that?
The Dutch population, which consists of about 20% foreigners, is itself quite educated and fills the local labor market as much as possible. In addition, the labor force from less developed EU countries also does not mind increasing their income level at the expense of Dutch vacancies. Moreover, no permits for employment are required.
The local legislation is arranged in such a way that Dutch companies, first of all, provide jobs for "their" citizens. There are special conditions for foreigners from countries outside the Common Economic Space. That means that applicants from abroad must have a work permit (TWV) and residence permit to work in Holland.
Today, in case of labor immigration to the Netherlands for more than 3 months, a special document (GVVA) is issued, which combines a work permit and a residence permit. To obtain the GVVA, the employer and the foreigner must apply to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND). Certain categories of persons are exempt from this document:
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Temporary workers (up to 3 months);
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Students;
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Specialists for seasonal work.
Here there is a slightly different procedure, in which a work permit and a residence permit are prepared separately.
How to find a job in the Netherlands with such competition?
The answer to this question is very simple, but not so easy to do in practice – you have to try to fill the gaps in the local labor market. Basically, this means to be a highly skilled specialist or a seasonal worker, ready for hard physical labor.
Conditions for employing a foreigner in the Netherlands
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Absence of candidates for the job among locals and EU citizens.
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Comprehensive advertising of the vacancy in the Dutch and European media, including print media and the Internet.
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The vacancy must be open for at least 35 days, in some cases it can be as long as 90 days.
The following foreign workers do not have to meet the above conditions and do not have to obtain a separate work permit:
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Highly qualified professionals whose experience and knowledge can make a significant contribution to the Dutch economy;
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EU Blue Card holders;
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Graduates of Dutch universities, within one year after graduation;
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Foreign entrepreneurs working for their company;
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Family members of a holder of a Dutch residence permit with the right to work.
Basic requirements for foreigners for employment in the Netherlands
Language. Working in the Netherlands without knowledge of language assumes knowledge at least of English, preferably certified. It is almost unreal to find a good job without it. The only option is semi-legal work with a great risk of being cheated by the employer and deported from the country. High-paying jobs are out of the question.
In the Netherlands, a large number of large international companies where English is quite enough. For employment in local small firms will need skills in Dutch. Of course, the knowledge of additional languages – French, German, Italian – is a big plus.
Qualifications. High school diplomas, work experience, letters of recommendation from former employers, certificates of advanced training and other useful documents confirming the employee's competitive advantages will certainly be needed. Graduating from one of the Netherlands educational institutions is ideal. You can check the recognition of the diploma and the compliance of the qualification with Dutch requirements, if the profession is regulated, on a special website EP-Nuffic.
Searching for a job in the Netherlands without intermediaries
Finding a suitable job in the Netherlands and, more importantly, convincing a local employer of your competitive advantages is no easy task. In order to increase your chances of success, you must first use all available means of search. If you have friends or relatives in the Netherlands and a tourist trip to this beautiful country is not expected in the near future, the most reliable and proven in today's environment is the Internet.
First of all, visit the official website of the Dutch Public Employment Service, where you can find a lot of useful information and tips on employment in addition to the job itself.
Popular Dutch job search sites
monsterboard.nl
intermediair.nl
nationalevacaturebank.nl
vacaturekrant.nl
Specialized resources
agrojobs.nl – for workers in the agricultural sector
medweb.nl – for the medical sector
As an alternative to the job search sites in the Netherlands it is very important to use the following sources of information, which often bring good results:
Local newspaper websites – telegraaf.nl, nrc.nl and volkskrant.nl.
Social media – nl.linkedin.com and facebook.com.
Recruitment agencies – adamsrecruitment.com and stepstone.nl.
Official websites of Dutch companies.
If you use all of these methods together, you will definitely get results. It is very important to adapt your resume and cover letter to the Dutch employer.
Jobs and wages in the Netherlands
Compared to other European countries, Dutch workers earn an average income. For example, less than in Scandinavian countries or Switzerland, but more than in the Czech Republic or Italy. This figure largely depends on the region and the specific profession. By the way, in the largest Dutch city – Amsterdam has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Minimum wage in the Netherlands in 2024, depending on age (euro/month):
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15 years – 672.57
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16 years – 667.35
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17 years – 885.49
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18 years – 1,122.07
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19 years – 1,345.14
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20 years – 1,794.64
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21 years and over – 2,242.46
The average wage in the Netherlands in 2024 is 2,855 euros per month.
Salary in the Netherlands by profession (euro/month):
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Architect – 5,200
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Dentist – 5,000
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Lawyer/Lawyer – 3,900-4,000
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IT sphere – 3,500-4,500
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Civil engineer – 3,400
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Electrical/mechanical engineer – 3,100
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Accountant – 3,000
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Middle manager – 2,500-3,000
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School teacher – 2,800, university lecturer – 3,200
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Bartender, waiter, loader – 1,000-2,000
Available jobs in the Netherlands in 2024 can be divided into two categories:
Skilled workers. In this case, good chances for employment in the Netherlands have – IT-specialists, holders of technical professions and experienced marketers. You can also try to get a job in health care or education.
In the Netherlands the minimum wage for skilled foreign workers is set annually. In 2024, in order to obtain a residence permit, a foreign specialist must receive a monthly salary in the following amounts:
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over 30 years old – 5,331 euros
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under 30 years old – 3,909 euros
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Graduate of a Dutch university in the first year after graduation – 2,801 euros
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Holder of the EU Blue Card – 6,245 euros
Seasonal workers. This is the most popular type of employment in the Netherlands for foreigners from third countries. Residence permit is issued by an expedited procedure and allows you to work for no more than 6 months (24 weeks). As a rule, seasonal work in the Netherlands implies heavy physical labor in agriculture – fields or greenhouses. For example, picking strawberries, fruits and vegetables, or packing flowers. You can earn up to 2,000 euros a month here.
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