I amsterdam - Finding Employment

Legalities

If you have been recently transferred to or have gained employment at a company or organisation in Amsterdam (for example as a knowledge migrant), your employer's Human Resources department will probably be helping to arrange for your relevant permits and visas beforehand but you should check this with them to make sure.  For others, such as 'trailing partners' following their partners who have already established residency, your residential status affects whether or not you are allowed to work and whether or not a potential employer needs to put in a request on your behalf.  

For the latter, often this requires that you possess skills or work in fields where there are shortages in the Netherlands (and quite often the EU).  You should clarify this with the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) and the Centrum voor Werk en Inkomen (CWI).

You will also need a Tax number called a SoFi number.

Paid Employment

If you are able to seek employment, there are many options to consider when looking for employment. 

• Do you speak Dutch, or do you need an employer that uses a different language in the office? 
• Are you looking for full-time or part-time employment? 
• Is your CV suitable for the Dutch employment market? 
• Are your qualifications recognised in the Netherlands? 
• Do you possess highly sought after skills or work in a field where there are shortages in the Netherlands (eg, ITC, Health & Medicine, Education)? 
• Do you require the services of an employment agency to help you with your search? 
• How far are you willing to travel? 

The ACCESS Guide to Working in The Netherlands provides helpful tips for your job search, covering these issues and more.

Networking

One of the key routes to finding employment is by taking advantage of your situation as a foreigner and establish networks through your social contacts. This can be achieved by joining formal networking groups, clubs and organisations, or taking classes and courses, as well as informal get-togethers, or even by starting your own group. Networking gives you the advantage of helping you reach your employment goals as well as meeting like-minded individuals who may be going through the same experiences you are.  In fact most job placements, particularly the successful ones, are made through contacts. Please see other themes in the 'Living' section of this site, such as Business and Networking Groups and Clubs for Nationals for some other examples of contact points where you may be able to build up networks.

Starting your own business

In the Netherlands it is compulsory for almost all businesses to register on the Trade Register. The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel / KvK) manages the trade register.  Its website gives details of how to register and provides information about starting a business in the Netherlands. 

Agencies

There are several agencies in Amsterdam specialising in the international, bi-lingual and/or English-speaking workforce.  Here are just a few:

Undutchables
Adams' Multilingual Recruitment
Blue Lynx Employment
O’Connell Marketing Recruitment 

Volunteering

Volunteering can be a great alternative to paid employment whilst searching for work, acquiring job skills, learning Dutch or making use of your spare time. Please see the article on Volunteering in the Living section for further information.

Supplementary Information

ACCESS is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1986 to bridge the gap between the international community and English-speaking services available in the Netherlands. They supply free information from an extensive database, offer publications, courses, events, a professional counselling referral service and run a free helpline. They also provide several fact sheets covering subjects such as these.

Tel: +31 (0)20 423 3217
Website: www.access-nl.org

 

Updated 7 August 2007