In 2024, the Netherlands is experiencing an acute shortage of highly qualified specialists, the most vacancies in the country are available in the health, finance, industry and IT sectors. Find out what a foreigner needs to get a job in the Netherlands in 2024
The labor marketThe Netherlands is experiencing an acute shortage of workers especially highly qualified personnel. To resolve this issue, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) now allows employers to hire qualified foreigners for any position. Such conditions make the country attractive for expats, especially for citizensNepal, Kenya, Australia and Uganda. We will tell you about the most popular vacancies and job requirements in the country in 2024 in our material.
The labour market in the Netherlands
The Netherlands boasts a fairly stable economy with a large number of foreign investments, which is facilitated by favorable tax conditions. Due to this, many multinational corporations operate in the country. Significant market players are Dutch international companies, including ING Group, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Unilever, Philips and Heineken.
Unemployment rates in the Netherlands are among the lowest in the European Union, at 3.5% compared to the 6% average in Europe.
In which sectors do expats work in the Netherlands?
In 2024, the Netherlands has the most expat jobs available in the fields of technology, construction, hospitality, transport, logistics, finance, healthcare, engineering and customer service.
Some of the highest-paying jobs in the Dutch labor market are sales and marketing, finance, human resources, healthcare and science.
Work culture in the Netherlands
Dutch people usually work 36-40 hours a week. Working hours are usually from 09:00 to 17:00. However, overtime and shift work are also common. With the exception of hospitality workers and senior management, this category of people should not work overtime.
Also, the country’s labor legislation protects the rights of employees on vacation and dismissal procedures. Your contract must include complete information about your work, including the duration of the contract, employee rights and working conditions.
The level of wages in the Netherlands
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the average salary in the Netherlands is 47,930 euros per year. The Dutch minimum wage depends on age and is reviewed every two years. The current monthly minimum wage for people over the age of 20 is 1,756.20 euros.
Sectors with high annual salaries are banking, the legal sector, chemicals, oil and energy.
The best cities in the Netherlands for expats to live in
Most expats moving to the Netherlands settle in one of the following cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven, Utrecht, Groningen, Breda, Tilberg, Nijmegen and Almere.
Which countries do citizens need to have a visa to work in the Netherlands?
If you are from the EU or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), you can freely live and work in the Netherlands without the need for a work visa or residence permit. However, you will need to register with the Dutch authorities.
If you are from another place, your employer will usually need a work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV), and you must also have a residence permit.
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