Working in the Netherlands – is it worth leaving your country to work there? What do you need to know about it?
By many, working in the Netherlands may at first be associated only with agriculture (harvesting fruit and vegetables) and gardening. Meanwhile, job offers are far more varied – even people just starting on their career paths and even those who don’t know foreign languages will find something to cater for themselves.It’s also good to know that you’ll find there both permanent and seasonal employment. Bearing that in mind, you’ll therefore be able to tailor the available professional opportunities to your needs. Typically, warehouse worker positions will cater to those looking for regular and longer-term work (6 months or more), while greenhouse work usually involves a short-term commitment, e.g. 3 months. You can thus choose the option that’s best for you.
Diverse industries
The largest number of offers can be found in sectors such as logistics, manufacturing, and horticulture. In logistics, the position of warehouse worker – order picker – is in high demand (what exactly does an order picker’s job involve? Find out here).As far as the production business is concerned, you can be involved in preparing salads, sorting vegetables, or colouring flowers. Or even find a job in the aviation industry with no experience!
You can also work in a greenhouse with pot plants, garden plants, or vegetables, or find a job as a harvester.
What benefits does a job in the Netherlands offer?
When you go to the Netherlands, you can count on a range of opportunities such as:- pay in Euros – even the minimum hourly wage is several times more than the lowest wage in most Central and Eastern European countries. If you organise your budget properly, you can save up substantial amounts. If you need help, a wisely chosen employment agency can support you with accommodation for much less than the market price as well as free-of-charge transport to and from your workplace, among other benefits;
- foreign language – lack of English language skills doesn’t rule out your chances! Of course, if your English or Dutch is even basic, you can expect a greater choice of opportunities, but without knowing foreign languages you can still find employment;
- skill development – if, however, you have at least a basic knowledge of the language and are thinking about improving your language skills, living and working abroad will provide ideal conditions to achieve it;
- a (new) beginning of your professional life – the same is true of the career path. Going to work in the Netherlands isn’t only an opportunity to make some money, but also to gain your first work experience. As far as many jobs go, experience isn’t required, and with opportunities for promotion – you could even gain experience in managing a team, which is highly valued in the job market.
Working in the Netherlands. Is it a good idea to seek support from an employment agency?
When choosing to travel abroad to work there, people are often assisted by an employment agency. This way to go about it will offer you additional benefits that would be difficult to obtain on your own.- agency accommodation options – when deciding to use assistance from an agency, it isn’t uncommon to take advantage of paid accommodation. The cost of renting accommodation will be considerably lower than what you must pay if seeking accommodation on your own, which means an opportunity to put more money aside.
- transport to and from the workplace – in most cases, you can expect organised transport to and from your workplace. If the distance from the location to the workplace is short, the Carrière agency provides employees with company-owned city bikes;
- hassle-free departure – a temporary employment agency will guide you through all the steps of the recruitment procedure, help you with the formalities, and often also with the organisation of transport itself;
- work for couples or groups – by working with an agency, you also have the option of making it simpler to organise a trip for two people or a group. What’s more, going abroad as a couple guarantees shared living space, not to mention the benefits of supporting each other in a strange country;
