Are you an IT specialist and want a better life in the Netherlands? You have picked an appropriate destination and the right article. You will find out how to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist in this article.
What are the requirements to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an It specialist?
The requirement to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist could change a bit to your conditions. For instance, if you have studied in the Netherlands and got your degree from a Dutch university. Things could change for you.
These requirements are mostly for non-EU nationals who want to work as IT specialists in the Netherlands. But they can give you a good perspective of the general requirement of working in the Netherlands.
Work experience.
One of the most required items is to have work experience in your field. You are supposed to work as an IT professional to the best. You will work with the best in your field, and your co-workers have the highest expertise.
Also, it’s required to persuade the Dutch employer to hire you. As you will read in the below section, you need a job offer from a Dutch employer.
If you do not have enough work experience that proves that employer you are fit to conduct the job, you won’t be able to move to the Netherlands.
Also, as employers look at your resume before an interview, the work experience must encourage them to arrange the interview.
Educational degree.
Having an educational degree in IT is often needed as it indicates your profound background. The essential part is to get a job offer, and employers often look for an academic background.
If you have brilliant work experience, the employer might skip the university degree.
An educational degree could be useful while applying for a work visa. It proves your background and what you have been doing. You would better submit your educational certificates to fill the gaps. Immigration offices want to know your background exactly.
Job offer.
You can say the most important requirement to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT professional is having a job offer.
You have to look for a position in the Netherlands and achieve a job offer from a Dutch employer.
You will get familiar with ways to find a job in the Netherlands in the below section. It’s a must to use one or a mixture of them to find a job in the Netherlands. Be careful not to be deceived by fraudsters. They might try to get money from you and fraud you.
You could say this is the hardest but the most important part. As everything begins from here. It could take some time until you find the job offer. But it’s up to your resume, work experience, and educational background. If it’s remarkable and the Dutch employer highly needs you, the process will be sped up.
After finding the job offer, you must sign an employment contract. It must hold all the details and terms of employment;
- Duration of employment.
- Perks and bonuses.
- Working hours
- Type of job you will do.
- Tasks and responsibilities
- Salary
- Etc.
Have a valid passport.
It’s obvious that you need a passport to leave your home country and enter the Netherlands. But it must be valid at the time of application and hold enough validity for at least one year. You must be able to leave your home country, and your passport validity is a must for a work visa.
Also, you might have to send a copy of your passport to the employer to get the work permit.
The work permit is permission to work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist, and the work visa is authorization to enter the country. The Dutch employer applies for the work permit after you sign the employment contract.
Clean record certificate.
You are going to hire an employee. If you find out he has committed a serious crime, will you hire him/her?
The obvious answer is no. So it is with the Dutch employer and the authorities that you want to enter the Netherlands.
A clean record certificate is needed to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist. You have to get it from the related authorities, get it translated, and submit it to the officials. You might have to submit it two times; 1) applying for the work contract, 2) applying for the work visa.
As explained, the Dutch employer applies for the work permit, so you have to send him/her the clean record certificate. You have to have it translated into Dutch or English. Remember that it would be better not to be older than one month while you submit it to the officials.
Language proficiency requirement.
Explaining this item is a bit hard and complicated. Language fluency requirement is with the Dutch employer. He/she determines the language you need to work as an IT professional in the country. You might need Dutch or English.
A large part of the Dutch people speak English, and it’s common in the country. But this requirement is with the employer. When you look for a position, read the description and requirements. See if they need English or Dutch fluency.
Health certificate or TB test result.
You might need a health certificate to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist. The employer might ask you for this certificate to ensure you are mentally and physically healthy to do the job in the Netherlands.
Dutch officials might require a health certificate when you apply for a work permit. It’s up to your nationality and their decision.
Also, some countries need a TB test result to enter the Netherlands. This is not for every country, and only a few countries need it.
You can see the list on the IND website.
How to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an I specialist?
The procedure you have to follow to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an I specialist comes in this section.
It might change your conditions and nationality. For instance, EU nationals do not need a visa or work permit to work in the Netherlands.
If you have studied in the Netherlands, you just need to look for a job offer after graduation.
Look for a job offer with a Dutch employer.
As explained in the above section, one of the most important requirements to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist is to find a job offer. The application begins with finding a job offer. You cannot skip this part, and it’s a must to get a job offer.
How to know if a Dutch employer is qualified to hire you?
There are several cases of fraud on the internet, and you might get hooked by one of them. How can you ensure that the offered job is really from an employer in the Netherlands?
If the person is in the Netherlands, can he/she offer you the job?
There is one way to find out, and it’s to search for the employer’s name on the list of approved Dutch employers by IND.
Look for a job offer on websites;
There are various ways you can use to find a job in the Netherlands. Here they are;
Some websites advertise job positions in the Netherlands and the EU. You can look for a job offer as an IT specialist through, Some of these websites you know and some you do not know. Here is a list of them;
- Expatica jobs
- &Work
- Good Company
- Jouw ICT Vacature
- ExpatJobs
- College Life
- European Employment Services
- Stepstone
- Top Language Jobs
- Careerjet
- AngelList
- Honeypot
- Werk.nl
- Nationale Vacaturebank
- Intermediair
- Mundialz
- Monsterboard.nl
- Indeed.nl
- Glassdoor
You must prepare a resume and search for job positions that suit you. Try to consider the points we explain in the previous section.
Recruitment agencies.
The second way to find a job in the Netherlands is to get help from a recruiter or employment agency. Their job is to connect employers and employees.
It’s up to you whether you want to ask for help from them or not.
Here is a list of these agencies that you could use:
- Lordstone Corporation
- Agelix Consulting LLC
- Approach People Recruitment
- MAS Recruiting
- European Recruitment
- Hasselhoff Recruiter
- Tiger Recruitment
- Huxley Associates
- CareersinEurope
- Chronos Consulting
- EMEA Recruitment
- Computer People
- Euro London Appointments
- Hays
- Purcon Recruiting
- Michael Page
- Kelly Services
- Randstad
- Artemis Solutions – Talent Search
- Adecco
- Antal International
- Ajilon Recruiting
- Alderwick Consulting Limited
- Expertise Recruitment
- Manpower
- Hoffman and Associates
You can visit their website to learn about their terms or available positions. Contact them to know how they can help you. Also, you might be able to find useful information on their website.
Visiting the Netherlands to find a job.
The third way to find a job as an IT specialist in the Netherlands is to visit the country in person. You can send resumes to companies and visit them in person to have an interview.
Also, you can visit the companies to know if they have vacancies or not. You can find famous companies that require IT specialists with one simple research. But you would better send resumes and then visit the company for a face-to-face interview.
Some non-EU countries do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands. They enjoy the visa-waiver program; in countries like the US, South Korea, and Japan. The visa-waiver program allows you to stay in the Netherlands for up to 90 days. It could be enough to have serval interviews with companies and find a job.
If you are not among the visa-waiver countries, you can use the Netherlands tourist visa to enter the country and look for a job. But you mustn’t say that you want to visit the country to find a job. You just use the opportunity to find a job.
Find more information about the Netherlands tourist visa from the menu of the website or watch the related video on our YouTube channel.
This way might cost you, but there are pros and cons in every way. When you write the address in your resume or inform the employer you are in the Netherlands and ready for face to face interview, you might be more likely to get the interview. The more interview you have, the better your chance of getting accepted for the job.
But remember an essential point. If you are in the Netherlands and find a job, you have to leave the country and apply for a work visa from your home country.
Sign an employment contract with a Dutch employer/company.
After you find the job, you have to sign an employment contract with the employer. It must be comprehensive and include all the details and aspects of your employment. You can see some samples on the internet. Also, you can get help from your lawyer to know the terms and conditions very well and their legal obligations.
There are some necessary items that must be included in your employment contract. These are some of these essential items:
- Job title
- Job description
- Team & department assignment
- Role requirements
- Skill requirements
- Annual salary or hourly rate
- Raises, bonuses, incentive opportunities
- Health benefits (medical, dental, eye care, things like this)
- Company stock options
- investment/retirement plans
- bonuses
Do not limit yourself to the above items, and do research about the contracts. If you are not very well fluent in English, have the contract translated into your language to know the exact terms and conditions.
A work contract is one of the requirements to apply for a work permit. So try to work on it and spend time.
The Dutch employer applies for a work permit.
After you are done with the employment contract, the Dutch employer must apply for a work permit.
Dutch officials must recognize the employer that offers you the job. There is an application form that the employer needs to fill out and send to the IND.
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigration- en Naturalisatiedienst, IND) is responsible for visa processing and issuing the residence permit. As you will be staying in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you must get a residence permit, and in your case, it’s a work permit or authorization to work.
The employer will ask you to send him/her a list of supporting documents to apply for the work permit. This is a sample of the documents you have to send:
- Copy of passport.
- Clean record certificate
- Your educational documents
- CV/Resume.
- Proof of work experience.
- Etc.
IND will provide a checklist of documents to the employer so you can know what documents you have to submit.
You would better work on the documents and prepare them according to the instructions. If one of them is wrong or not according to the requirements, the processing could take longer.
Also, the Dutch officials could ask for further documents after you send them the full list of documents. It depends on your nationality, background, and decision.
The employer also applies for the MVV.
It’s authorization to stay in the Netherlands to receive your Residence Permit.
If you need the MMV, you must apply for both the Residence permit and the MMV. If you don’t need an MVV, you can apply directly for Residence Permit.
Who doesn’t need an MVV?
If you come from the below list, you do not need the MVV:
- You, the EU/EEA members, or are a citizen of:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Japan
- Monaco
- Vatican City
- The US
- & South Korea
If you have a valid residence permit from the EU, you don’t need an MVV as well.
MVV permits you to stay in the Netherlands for the long term and receive your residence permit. There are some procedures you have to complete after you land in the Netherlands.
Find the right Netherlands work visa type.
There are different types of Netherlands work visas. You have to find out which one is appropriate for you and apply for it. You have to find out which one is appropriate for you. Also, there are some features and benefits to each one of them. You can take advantage of the visa type by applying for the appropriate one.
Here are the Netherlands work visas for your information:
1. Regular paid work visa.
In case you want to get a job as a usual employee. When you get a job offer from a Dutch employer, you need this type of visa.
2. Seasonal worker.
The people working in the Netherlands’ seasonal agriculture part will receive this visa. It will allow you to stay for some time and do the seasonal work like in the tulip farms.
You need a job offer from an employer for this visa as well.
3. Intra-corporate transfer visa.
If the company you work for opens a branch in the Netherlands, and you will be working there, you need this visa.
If the company you work for already has a branch in the Netherlands and they want to send you there, you need an Intra corporate transfer visa.
4. Highly-skilled migrant visa.
This program often gets called “knowledge workers.”
It is for foreign nationals who will benefit from the Dutch science-based company. You must meet the income standard to be eligible for it.
Your income must be according to the below to qualify for the Highly-skilled migrant visa:
- Highly skilled migrants 30 years or older — €4,752 gross per month
- Highly skilled migrants younger than 30 years — €3,484 gross per month
5. European Blue Card
It’s a type of work permit that lets non-EU citizens work and live in the EU except in:
- Denmark
- Ireland
- & the UK
The job offer must pay you €5,670 per month, and you need educational documents to qualify for the EU Blue Card.
6. Self-employment and start-up
If you want to start a new business in the Netherlands, you can apply for a Self-employment and start-up visa. There is no need for a sponsor or employer to apply for a start-up visa. You can do it on your own.
This is a completely different visa application. You can find more about it on the Visa Library menu.
The IT specialist received the MVV and work permit.
It takes up to 90 days, so the IND decides and issues the work permit. This is called a decision period.
If the answer is negative, you can object to the IND.
The employer can post or submits the online version of the letter. You can post or fax the letter to the IND addresses. IND will send the confirmation that they got the letter.
They evaluate the objection and decide on it. There are two cases here.
1, Objection against the IND decision is well-founded.
You will receive a positive decision on your objection against the decision. This means that you will get the MVV and the residence permit.
- Objection against the IND decision is unfounded.
Your objection to the decision will be rejected.
The decision by the IND contains this rejection. If you disagree with the rejection,
you can appeal the decision to the court. If the employer is willing, he/she should hire a lawyer to take the case to a court of law.
After the work permit is issued, the IT specialists receive the work permit and MVV if he/she needs the MVV. Here, you have to get the MVV from the local Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country.
Find who is responsible for visa processing and visit them with the approval sent by the employer to complete the procedure.
The Dutch embassy might ask for some documents. You can ask them in advance and prepare the documents. There might be a fee for getting the MVV on your passport as well.
There is another scenario as well. Your request might get rejected. If it’s so, you can object to the IND and write a letter to them. Write why you think the rejection wasn’t true and include your information.
You must collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy or visa center filled in the application form.
The MVV is valid for 90 days. Make an appointment at the Dutch embassy or visa center to get the MVV. Your Valid passport is required here. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months.
You must take 1 new passport photo with you as well. Remember one point. You must have your biometrics taken when you collect the MVV. You’ll provide your signature and have your fingerprints taken.
Applying for a residence permit.
After you arrive in the Netherlands, you must get a residence permit. You will receive a letter when it’s ready at an IND desk. You must make an appointment with the IND to get your residence permit.
You must make an appointment to collect it.
Your residence permit will be valid for the period of your contract or job.
It’s valid for a maximum of 5 years.
Can you bring your family as an immigrant IT specialist to the Netherlands?
You can bring your family to the Netherlands as an IT professional.
But you must have enough funds to cover your family. Also, you must have an appropriate place to live with your family.
You have permission to bring your spouse and children under 18 years old.
To do so, you have to apply to the IND and complete the application form.
Visit the IND website to apply for a residence permit. Choose the right type of residence permit from the available options:
- Residence permit for a partner.
- Residence permit for a child under 18.
- Residence permit for a child born in the Netherlands.
- Residence permit for an adopted child.
- Etc.
After you click on the right part, the entire application process, costs, and the supporting documents you have to submit are explained.
There are also application forms that you have to submit.
Is it easy or hard to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist?
The answer to this question is up to several factors, and the most important one is your skills, abilities, and resume. If you are highly skilled and have a profound resume, you are more likely to persuade a Dutch employer to hire you and provide you with a job offer. This person can say immigrating to the Netherlands as an IT specialist is fairly easy.
But, a person who doesn’t have a good resume or higher education and has been looking for a job offer for a few years, he/she might find it difficult to immigrate and work in the Netherlands.
Remember that you will have interviews with the employer. There will be several interview stages, and you have to pass all of them:
- General introduction (get to know you).
- HR interview
- Technical interview (assess skills)
- Group interviews
You have to pass these interviews and perform well. It depends on your language fluency skills to do well in them.
You can work on your technical skills and language abilities and get professional work experience to pave the way for getting a job offer. After you get the job offer, the process is easier.
Can you immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist with the English language?
The answer is yes. The majority of Dutch people speak and understand English, and it’s a common language. “Almost 95% of the population speaks English,” and you will have little to no trouble understanding get your meaning through.
The Dutch have been immersed in English movies since childhood. They do not tend to dub the movies like other European countries. The movies have subtitles in Dutch, and you can watch the films and programs in English.
The Netherlands ranks 18th in the GDP worldwide. Their business-friendly culture requires them to speak in English with foreign people. They have had to master English to develop the economy and sell their tulips.
You can see that English is no longer a foreign language in the Netherlands. The Dutch prefer to practice English with foreigners. The education system has made learning English a priority and is working hard on children’s fluency. Also, more than half of the courses in Dutch universities are provided in English.
IT specialists’ salaries in the Netherlands.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of an It specialist in the Netherlands is about €3,984 per month. The income range is €1,251 – €8,221, according to the same source. Your salary is up to the city you live in and a few other items.
According to Salary Expert, your average salary as an IT specialist is about €71.368 per year (about €5.900 per month). The average bonus is about € 2.741, according to the same source.
The salary range for a beginner with 1-3 years of experience is about €50.576 but for a senior with +8 years of experience is about €88.309.
There is another source and its Salary Explorer, which says the average salary of an IT specialist in the Netherlands is about €4,900 per month. You will earn from €2,610 per month, which is the lowest payment, to €7,900 per month.
You would better discuss the salary, benefits, perks, and bonus with your employer and determine everything.
There is also the cost of a work permit and work visa application and getting to the country.
What are the best cities to immigrate and as an IT specialist in the Netherlands?
The city you want to work in as an IT specialist in the Netherlands is up to your preferences and the job you can find. If you have a brilliant resume and get serval job offers, you have a few options and can pick one of them. But if your resume is not very good and you got a job offer after searching for a few months, you can not dismiss it easily.
This is the list of the largest cities in the Netherlands. There are more companies in large cities than in rural areas. So you are more likely to find a job in one of them.
You can do research about Dutch cities and find out more about them. Determine what your preferences are for living in a city, and you can compare these options and find the best one. But the Netherlands is a beautiful country. The government cares about green living, and you can enjoy its beauty everywhere. The tulips are around.
- Amsterdam
- Rotterdam
- The Hague
- Eindhoven
- Utrecht
- Groningen
- Breda
- Tilburg
- Nijmegen
- Almere
Do you need IELTS to immigrate and work as an IT specialist in the Netherlands?
Being fluent in English or Dutch is needed to work as an IT specialist in the Netherlands. But whether you need IELTS or not is up to the employer.
You have to pass a few interviews to persuade the Dutch employer to hire you. You need language fluency to pass the interviews. As explained, English is widely spoken in the Netherlands, and it’s likely that your interview is in English.
You can say having an IELTS is a positive feature of your resume. You do not need to take the academic IELTS, and a general IELTS certificate will be good and will stand out. The employers will become certain that your English fluency is high and you can handle the interview and live in the Netherlands.
What are the benefits of immigration and working in the Netherlands as an IT specialist?
In my opinion, there is no point in talking about the benefits of immigrating to the Netherlands as an IT specialist. You already know that the country is a great destination to live and enjoy life. You know deep in your heart that the Netherlands is the country you can develop yourself and improve as a skilled IT specialist.
But we introduce some of the aspects of living in the Netherlands so you will make sure your decision is the best one.
A beautiful country to live in.
How do you feel after passing a park or beautiful scenery? You feel great and happy. The same is true with the Netherlands. The country is amazing, with lots of natural and man-made green life.
You do not feel like living in a modern industrial European country. The agricultural sector is highly active, and you will enjoy the tulip flowers, trees, and parks. You will need a holiday to enjoy the country during the tulip season.
You have access to the Europe and Schengen areas.
When you receive a Netherlands work visa, you will have access to all the EU and Schengen areas. You can visit them and stay for some time to explore each one. If and only if there is no place to explore and visit in the Netherlands, you will have 25 options. Do you think a lifetime would be enough to visit all of them?
The point is that you can visit all of them by showing your residence permit. There is no need to go through a visa application.
The Netherlands needs skilled workers.
IT specialists are needed in the Netherlands. Employers are devastated to find a skilled worker to bring him/her to the country.
Take a quick look at the websites introduced in the above section, and you will be amazed by the number of job positions.
Also, the payment is good, and you will have a great life there. You can see the range of payments from the above section.
The Dutch culture welcomes immigrants, and there is no discrimination against your nationality. The Netherlands welcomes millions of tourists every year. The culture is tolerant of foreign people.
High salaries for IT specialists.
European countries are competing with each other to bring skilled workers in IT, Engineering, development, and the fields related to technology. In order not to fall behind in this competition, Dutch employers need IT specialists, and they are ready to pay high salaries to them.
If the employers pay low, the other countries’ employers are willing to pay the right amount.
Job security is good in the Netherlands.
Are you worried that you are an immigrant from a non-EU country and that employers might discriminate against you? Forget it. The Dutch government has established a strong system of laws to protect people and including immigrants.
It’s not like this that the Dutch company can bully you and prevent you from your rights. The government stands behind you and supports you.
Great work experience to develop yourself.
Working in the Netherlands as an It specialist requires you to work at the international level and work with the best of the best. It’s quite an opportunity to learn and work with highly skilled professionals in your field.
Working experience in the Netherlands will stand out in your resume, and it will be a hallmark of your career. It will change the direction of your life, and hundreds of opportunities will open for you.
Also, you will get familiar with influential people in your field.
Let’s sum up…
You learned how to immigrate and work in the Netherlands as an IT specialist here. The article brought you the requirement and the steps you have to follow to become an IT specialist in the Netherlands.
If you have questions about the process or requirements, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library team will answer them.
Frequently asked questions about immigration and working in the Netherlands as an IT specialist
Yes, it’s possible as long as you get the job offer.
Yes, the salary is high enough, and the employers need your skills.
Yes, they welcome foreign IT specialists as long as you are skilled.
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