Work in the Netherlands, or how I became one among strangers

Residence permit and permanent residence in Holland

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is one of the most developed and prosperous countries of the United Europe. The economy of this small country, 1/3 reclaimed from the sea, ranks 6th in the European Union and 16th in the world. The Netherlands has a high standard and quality of life, even compared to many Commonwealth countries. It has a well-developed social security system and a favorable business climate. The unemployment rate is one of the lowest in Europe - no more than 4-5%. It is not surprising that many dream of immigrating to this country.

The following categories of foreign citizens can receive a residence permit:

1. Dutch spouses and civil partners;
2. Officially employed in the country;
3. Students from Dutch educational institutions;
4. Entrepreneurs and investors;
5. Refugees.

Entry into the country for immigration purposes must be carried out with a Dutch national visa. It is requested at the country's consulates abroad. Upon arrival, you must apply for a residence permit; the process takes about 3 months. As a rule, the document is valid for a year and is subject to subsequent renewal.

Permanent residence in Holland can be obtained in the general manner after 5 years of legal residence in the country. During the entire period of residence in the country, a foreigner should not have problems with the law and payment of fines, taxes, and be financially wealthy with an income of at least €1,500 per month. You also need to pass a social integration test.

Internship in Holland

Students of foreign universities can take an internship in the Netherlands if an appropriate agreement has been signed between the higher education institution and the Dutch employer. To go on an internship to this country, a student from a CIS republic must study in a specialty that is directly in demand by a specific employer. In this case, the duration of his studies should not be less than one year. That is, you can go to Holland after your first year at university or institute. The internship period, as a rule, should not exceed three months. In this case, the foreign student will not need to apply for a work visa or obtain a work permit.

What professions are in demand in the Netherlands?

Finding a job in Holland will be easier for representatives of such professions as programmer, nurse, doctor, logistician. There is always a demand for construction workers, drivers, cooks, packers, salespeople, and waiters. Women from the countries of the former CIS can find work as a nanny, nurse, or maid. The highest competition is among those applying for low-skilled labor. There are many people here who want to do it among migrants from Africa and the Middle East.

What salary can you expect in Holland?

The minimum salary in the Netherlands is €1,594, and the average is €2,855 (€37 thousand per year). This level is reviewed by the government annually. Representatives of such highly qualified professions as IT specialist, engineer, doctor receive from €30 thousand per year and more. The lowest salaries are in the service sector. The rate is affected by the age of the employee: older ones are paid more. Therefore, employers give preference to young applicants when hiring.

Every year, the salary for all professions is indexed taking into account current inflation and the qualifications of the employee. According to the law, wages cannot be lower than the minimum.

At the same time, in Holland, workers are charged a high income tax, which depends on the level of annual income:

Seasonal work

Agriculture is one of the most developed sectors of the Dutch economy. In the country, only about 15 thousand hectares are agricultural land. However, the efficiency of using these lands is very high. Mostly vegetables, fruits, berries, and flowers are grown in year-round greenhouses. Therefore, there is a great need for harvesters here at any time of the year. Work in Holland in greenhouses can be paid by the piece or at an hourly rate. Employees are provided with basic housing, and married couples are often invited to work.

According to Dutch law, a contract for seasonal work can be concluded for a maximum of 24 weeks. Such work is physically difficult, but you can earn up to €2 thousand per month.

The easiest way to get a job is in large cities: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Eindhoven.

Video: work in greenhouses in Holland

Jobs and salaries in the Netherlands

Compared to other European countries, Dutch workers earn average incomes. For example, less than in the Scandinavian countries or Switzerland, but more than in the Czech Republic or Italy. In many ways, this indicator depends on the region and the specific profession. By the way, the largest city in Holland, Amsterdam, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

Minimum wage in Holland in 2021 depending on age (euros/month)

• 15 years – 504.45
• 16 years old – 581.25
• 17 years old – 665.50
• 18 years old – 842.40
• 19 years old – 1,010.90
• 20 year – 1,347.85
• 21 and older – 1,684.00

The average salary in the Netherlands in 2021 is €2,855 per month

Salary in Holland by profession (euro/month)

• Architect – 5200
• Dentist - 5000
• Lawyer/Advocate – 3900–4000
• IT sphere - 3500-4500
• Civil engineer – 3400
• Electrical/Mechanical Engineer – 3100
• Accountant - 3000
• Middle manager - 2500-3000
• School teacher - 2800, university teacher - 3200
• Bartender, waiter, loader - 1000-2000

Available vacancies in Holland for Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians and other citizens from the CIS countries in 2021 can be divided into two categories:

Qualified workers . In this case, IT specialists, holders of technical professions and experienced marketers have a good chance of finding employment in Holland. You can also try to get a job in the healthcare or education sector.

The Netherlands sets an annual minimum wage for skilled foreign workers. In 2021, to obtain a residence permit, a foreign specialist must receive a monthly salary in the following amounts:

• over 30 years old - 4,612 euros
• under 30 years old - 3,381 euros
• graduate of a Dutch university in the first year after graduation - 2,423 euros
• EU Blue Card holder – 5,403 euros

Seasonal workers . This is the most popular type of employment in Holland for foreigners from the post-Soviet space. A residence permit is issued under an accelerated procedure and allows you to work for no more than 6 months (24 weeks). As a rule, seasonal work in Holland involves heavy physical labor in agriculture - fields or greenhouses. For example, picking strawberries, vegetables and fruits or packing flowers. Here you can earn up to 2000 euros per month.

Work in the Netherlands without intermediaries

There are a lot of options for finding vacancies now. Job seekers should understand that Dutch employers are primarily required to hire EU citizens. Employment of a native of the CIS must be documented.

Job search sites and agencies

Coming to the Netherlands and finding work locally is not an easy task. It’s better to start your search remotely: study the labor market, send out your resume. You can search for vacancies in Holland on local specialized portals:

• Algemeen Dagblad; Careerbuilder; intermediair; Monster Board; seasonalwork; Together Abroad; Undutchables; Vacations; Werk.

International English-language resources can also help in your search:

• Glassdoor;
• Indeed;
• Xpatjobs.

Also, a lot of useful information and employer announcements can be found on the official website of the Dutch Employment Service and EURES (EU Employment Service).

If the applicant has already decided on the company he wants to work for, his resume can be left and sent directly on its website.

Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians who are already in the country can find work in Holland through recruitment agencies. They charge a certain fee for their services. Here are the most popular agencies:

Adams Multilingual Recruitment; Aquent; Blue Lynx; CARRIÈRE SWITCH; Darwin recruitment; Undutchables; Unique Multilingual.

Internship in a Dutch company

An internship in Holland is an excellent opportunity for university students and graduates to find a suitable job and subsequently stay in the country. The easiest way to find a job is after graduating from local educational institutions, because they enter into contracts with employers. It is a little more difficult for university graduates from non-EU countries. In this case, the level of your diploma, as well as the received certificates of professional and language training, are very important.

You can find various internship programs using the following resources:

• Graduateland;
• Lagora;
• Nesorussia.

Graduates of universities in the Netherlands who have studied IT professions can become participants in the High-Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) program. Their salary starts from €3 thousand per month and above. A similar resource in Dutch is salarisnet.nl.

Who is exempt from the work visa procedure?

You can find work in Holland without a work visa in 2021:

1. Foreign citizens who have permission to stay in the country for a long period of time, indicating permission to carry out work activities.
2. Those who have a sticker in their passport indicating permission to work in the Netherlands.
3. When conducting business in the Netherlands under a contract for a short period.
4. If a migrant has high qualifications, whose activities involve receiving a large income.

In addition, there are professions in which work in the country does not take even a month. These could be journalists or experts in various fields.

Official employment procedure

The employment process includes 3 stages - searching for a vacancy and interviewing an employer, concluding a contract, obtaining a work permit and visa.

Requirements for foreign workers

The main requirement when applying for a job in the Netherlands is knowledge of languages. You need to know at least English, and even better Flemish. Knowledge of additional European languages ​​significantly increases the chances of successful employment and a high salary. With basic knowledge of English, it is possible to work as a dishwasher, cleaner, nurse, seasonally in greenhouses, waiter, cook, housekeeper. However, knowledge of English at the Upper Intermediate level and above is a good plus, because Holland is one of the ten non-English speaking countries where knowledge of the language of international communication is widespread among the population (90%).

If we are talking about employment of a highly qualified specialist, then documents on the education received and work experience are important. Diplomas issued outside the Netherlands must undergo a nostrification procedure, that is, recognition. In particular, you will need a certified and notarized translation into English, Dutch (Flemish), German or French. The issues of recognition of diplomas in the Kingdom are handled by the companies Informatie Beheer Groep and Nuffic Neso.

In addition, there are other important requirements:

1. No dangerous diseases;
2. The applicant is loyal to law and order, has not attempted illegal entry and has not provided the authorities with false information about himself;
3. Material support from a sponsor or your livelihood for 12 months of living in the country;
4. No criminal history.

Work permits

Documents permitting work in Holland can only be issued by the employer. The petition is submitted to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and is reviewed within 3 months. This document is not needed:

• Specialists who came under the program for highly qualified employees (Kennismigrant);
• EU Blue Card holders;
• graduates of Dutch universities within a year after graduation;
• freelancers;
• relatives of Dutch people who have the right to work in the country;
• persons with a residence permit giving the right to work.

Documents for obtaining a work permit

As in all EU countries, the employer is required to prove that a candidate from the Netherlands or another EU country is not applying for the position of a foreign employee. The company must provide the immigration authorities (CWI Immigration Service):

• your registration data;
• a copy of the vacancy announcement in the media;
• documentary evidence of finding the most suitable applicant;
• information about responses from potential employees, reasons for their refusal;
• a copy of the applicant's passport;
• diplomas, certificates, certificates of education of the hired employee;
• labor contract.

Applying for a work visa

This document is of type MVV (national approval). A Schengen visa to the Netherlands is not suitable for employment. There are 3 types of work visas to Holland:

• temporary without the right of extension;
• short-term for 24 weeks with the right to extend;
• long-term for 3 years.

If the employer has issued a work permit, the foreign applicant can apply for a visa to the Dutch consulate. Their list usually includes:

1. International passport;
2. Contract;
3. Educational documents (diplomas, diplomas, certificates);
4. Insurance with a coverage amount of at least €30 thousand;
5. 2 photographs;
6. Visa application form;
7. Papers confirming the financial viability of the applicant.

For any type of visa to the Netherlands, you can apply to visa centers, for example, VFS Global. The consulate only deals with national MVV visas and is where it is advisable to apply for this type.

Who does not need a visa to work?

You do not need a visa to work in Holland:

• holders of the EU Blue Card, which is issued to highly qualified personnel in scarce specialties;
• entrepreneurs to carry out commercial activities in a short time;
• if the passport contains a note indicating the right to work;
• when performing seasonal work no more than 90 days.

Since 2004, the country has had a program to attract qualified specialists from all over the world. In Dutch it is called Kennismigranten. The main advantage of the program is that a foreign specialist can change employers. The main thing is that the company is accredited in the national IND system.

Risks of illegal employment

Illegal labor migrants are those foreigners who do not have a visa or work permit or these documents are expired. If detected, an illegal immigrant will face arrest, imprisonment, deportation from Holland and a ban on entry into the EU for a period of 1 to 20 years.

The employer faces a fine of €4-8 thousand. If over the next 2 years he employs illegal immigrants again, the amount of the fine doubles. If the Dutch labor legislation is repeatedly violated, the company's license is revoked.

Residence permit for entrepreneurs

Russians and people from other CIS countries who have over €1.25 million and are ready to invest it in the development of the Dutch economy can become investors. They are immediately eligible to apply for a 3-year residence permit. The available capital must be placed in a Dutch bank account, invested in an innovative enterprise and created jobs for the local population. The funds invested must be earned honestly, and appropriate verification will be carried out during the consideration of the case.

Advantages and disadvantages of working in Holland

Working in the Netherlands has many undeniable advantages for migrant workers:

1. Many social guarantees for official employment;
2. High level of safety in the workplace and in public space;
3. Very low level of corruption, the presence of which is not felt at all;
4. Developed social infrastructure, modern well-maintained cities;
5. High salaries, especially for highly qualified workers;
6. Tolerant attitude of the majority of the local population towards immigrants;
7. The country has representative offices of many international companies.

However, there are also significant shortcomings that migrant workers report in their reviews:

1. It is more difficult for Russians and other residents of the former CIS to conclude a permanent contract with an employer than for EU citizens;
2. Income tax is not the highest in Europe, but higher than at home;
3. Severe penalties for illegal work;
4. High competition for employment in low-skilled professions;
5. The employment process is quite lengthy, even when using intermediary agencies;
6. It is difficult to find inexpensive housing, especially in Amsterdam (a room can cost from 600 euros per month, an apartment - from 1000);
7. The high cost of utilities, public transport, communications, and maintaining a personal car.

Video : review of life and work in the Netherlands

How to look for work in Holland for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Kazakhstanis

There are two ways to find a job in the Netherlands. In the first case, you can find a job with the help of intermediary companies, in the second, you can try to find a job yourself. The Internet is replete with advertisements from companies that provide employment to residents of the CIS countries in Europe. Experts advise using the services of intermediaries only in cases where it takes a long time to find a job on your own or there is a need to leave for work as soon as possible . Many of the intermediaries do not have registration, numbers in the international tax system, and sometimes even an office. If you resort to the services of this category of intermediaries, you may not only not get a normal job, but also lose significant funds, which, as a rule, are taken in advance. If there is still a need, then you should familiarize yourself with the registration documents of the intermediary company, study the reviews of those who have used its services, visit the main office and sign an agreement.

Ignorance of the language terrified me.
10 phrases in English, learned at school, could not help me in any way. Although it should be noted: all Dutch people, young and old, speak English very well. And specialists in any industry must be fluent in four languages: Dutch, English, French, German. Galina T.
https://www.gollandia.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58:lr-&catid=34:2010–08–29–11–04–22&Itemid=59

You can find a suitable vacancy in the Netherlands on one of the specialized sites

Searching for work on your own involves contacting relevant Internet sites, the media and those who have already worked in the Netherlands. By communicating with migrant workers, you can get a complete picture of local realities, wage levels and working conditions. This information will be “first-hand”, so it can generally be trusted.

It is also recommended that you first go to the website of the Dutch Employment Service, where, in addition to many vacancies, you can find a large amount of necessary information and advice on employment. Many advertisements are posted on popular Dutch websites:

• monsterboard.nl,
• intermediair.nl,
• nationalevacaturebank.nl,
• careerbuilder.nl,
• vacaturekrant.nl,
• jobs-netherlands.com
• medweb.nl
• agrojobs.nl.

Alternative sources of information will be the websites of Dutch newspapers:

• telegraaf.nl,
• nrc.nl,
• volkskrant.nl.

You can also find information about vacancies in print media

The best option would be to use all possible methods of finding a job in the Netherlands. A job seeker’s resume that is correctly compiled and posted on the Internet can be a significant advantage. The CV should be written in Dutch or English. It is necessary to briefly describe the specialized education received, work experience in the relevant specialty, and also mention your achievements in the professional field. For those who are planning to go to a European country as a labor migrant, it will be a big surprise that in Europe employers practically do not consider candidates who do not have the specialty stated in the vacancy. In any CIS country you can not always work by profession; sometimes it is enough to have a diploma of higher or secondary specialized education. Scrupulous Europeans look with surprise and misunderstanding at those who are going to get a job, which presupposes an education that the applicant does not have.

Video: job search in the Netherlands