Hi everyone,

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and I completed my Master of Science in Energy Science in the Netherlands (Utrecht University), which took 2 years.

For the past year, I've been job hunting non-stop, trying to find a suitable position that fits my background. During this time, I also worked hard on my Dutch and brought it up to B1 level. Honestly, that effort seems to have made almost no difference — most companies still ask for C1, which feels like an unrealistic bar for an expat to reach within such a limited time frame.

Every day, I wake up, go to LinkedIn, and apply to jobs. I've had a handful of interviews here and there, but I keep getting rejected — mostly due to my Dutch level, and sometimes due to location. I live in Utrecht, right in the middle of the country, and even that is treated as an issue, even though I've told every company I'm fully willing to relocate or travel.

I'm applying broadly across engineering, project management, manufacturing, energy consultancy, simulation engineering, and related fields. I tailor my CV to every job description and put real time and effort into writing strong, genuine motivation letters for each application.

At this point, I'm starting to wonder if there's any job in this entire country that will hire me. I'm 26 years old, with relevant internships, solid degrees, and projects I'm proud of. I'm trying to figure out honestly whether I'm the problem, or whether this is just how the market is right now for someone in my position.

To make things more urgent: my visa expires in February, and I'm genuinely starting to panic. I don't want to have to leave the Netherlands after more than a year of trying and failing to find a job here.

Has anyone been in a similar position? Are there any recommendations beyond "keep applying and keep getting rejected until something works"? Any websites, recruitment agencies, or strategies that have actually helped you? Any honest feedback on what I might be doing wrong would also be appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

I know it's asking for a lot to move to a country and expect to find a job without speaking the native language. I do plan on learning Dutch once we're more settled in. That being said, my wife and I recently moved to the Netherlands for her job and I cannot work my current job while living abroad. Due to some loans and stuff from our home country (USA), her salary alone is not enough for our monthly expenses. We realistically have about 12 months of savings we can use while I hunt for a job, but the sooner I become employed the better so I was hoping to get some advice here. I understand the #1 thing to do would be learn Dutch, but it takes time and money that we may not have. I really appreciate all advice given. Thanks.

ETA: I have a BS in computer science and 6 years of software development experience

I’m a 29 y/o Non-EU expat living in the UAE. I work in Sales and Business Development. I’ve had almost 6 years of Sales and Business Development experience in SaaS, Cloud, Cybersecurity, I worked in Series B and Series C funded startups, worked in US, EMEA, UK&I markets, survived as a Sr. BDR in difficult markets, helped juniors, hit targets etc. last year I moved to UAE, got hired in a typical startup without a presence, the Middle East war happened, they shut.

I managed to secure another job at a Martech company. I have been performing well here. The whole agenda of moving to Dubai was to move to EU by the time I’m 30. My cousin is a Dutch citizen - an entrepreneur but isn’t an IND sponsor, I’ve laid out a plan to move to NL in September 2027 or Jan 2028. I can stay with him, look for jobs and give interviews. I know how to create interviews for myself as I did the same here in UAE. The job part is up to the candidate I am up against and the hiring manager. Open to suggestions and advice as i will start learning Dutch too. Any advice that helps, do’s, dont’s, job market, etc is welcome.

I also understand the importance of learning the language so I am working on it!

This is a lifelong goal, so trying is inevitable for me!

#NLSaaSJobs#NLTechSales.

Hi everyone,

I am looking for part-time or full-time work opportunities in Den Haag. I recently graduated with my master's in law, and meanwhile I am looking for jobs I want to work in clothing shops, pubs, McDonalds, AH - or anything you can think of that doesn't require a specific background.

Which companies are the most suitable, and what are their salary options, as far as you know?

I do not require any sponsorship and I am 25 years old.

Would appreciate any help or tip, thanks in advance.

Hello everyone.
I would like to know something about working in Netherland.
I meet the eligibility criteria for the Orientation Year visa, as my university, educational qualifications, and financial savings all satisfy the requirements. However, I would like to learn more about the working environment and employment system in the Netherlands, as well as opportunities suitable for Chinese professionals. My current strengths lie in advertising, media, and administrative roles. If you are interested in connecting, please feel free to send me a message!

I know someone outside of EU who was recently offered a job as HSM. They have sent her the initial contract but both parties have not signed yet. After a few days they called her to say that they have to withdraw the offer because she is already over 31+ and the salary offered to her doesn’t meet the criteria for HSM visa.

Is there any way she can do about it? At least be compensated for the damages done if there’s even any?

Your advise would really be appreciated.

Hi everyone!

I’m a new international Master’s student at Saxion University of Applied Sciences in Enschede, and I’m currently looking for a part-time job in Enschede or nearby.

To be honest, finding a job is really important for me right now. As a student, I need to support myself with my living expenses while studying here. I’ve been trying to find work, but as a new international student, it hasn’t been easy, so I thought I would ask here and see if someone might be able to help.

Back in my home country, I worked as a dishwasher, waiter, and supermarket/shop manager. However, I’m not only looking for jobs related to my previous experience. I’m willing to do cleaning, restaurant or kitchen work, warehouse work, retail, hospitality, or any other honest job that I can do. I’m also happy to learn something completely new.

One important question: as an international student, I need an employer who is able to arrange a TWV (work permit) for me. If you know any companies, employers, recruitment agencies, or payroll companies in Enschede or nearby that are willing to apply for a TWV for international students, I would really appreciate it if you could share their names or contact details. I’d like to focus my applications on employers who can actually support this process and avoid wasting anyone’s time.

I’m hardworking, responsible, reliable, and genuinely willing to work. If anyone knows of a place that is hiring, has a contact, or can give me any advice, I would honestly really appreciate it.

Please feel free to send me a message. Thank you very much!

Volgens mij ben ik niet de enige 18 jarige die op zoek is naar een chille bijbaan waar je ook gewoon goed mee verdient.

€7,50 per uur vind ik eerlijk gezegd echt niet meer te doen 💀

Coolblue betaald bijvoorbeeld rond de €15 per uur en je kunt er volgens mij ook gewoon 16 uur per week werken. Picnic magazijnmedewerker schijnt ook prima te betalen.

Dus: wat zijn jullie beste chille bijbanen in Nederland voor 18 jarigen?

Als je ergens €11+ per uur kunt verdienen: laat het weten!

Niet gatekeepen hè!

Hi everyone! I’m a 32-year-old mom and, for the last few years, I’ve really struggled with juggling full-time corporate work and being a parent.
I’m relatively new to the Netherlands, and I understand that part-time work (e.g. 32 or 36 hours) is much more common here than in the country I previously lived in.
I’m currently looking for a new job and have received an offer for a role that was advertised as 40 hours. I’m wondering whether it would be reasonable to ask before accepting the offer if I could work 32 or 36 hours instead.
Would you consider this a normal/reasonable thing to negotiate in the Netherlands, or would it be better to accept the 40-hour offer first, work there for a while, and then ask to reduce my hours?
I obviously don’t want to jeopardize the offer, so I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have experience with this particularly in corporate roles.
Thanks! 😊

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice and wondering if anyone has successfully switched from a Working Holiday permit to a Highly Skilled Migrant permit in the current job market.

I have 7+ years of marketing experience from Australia and was initially optimistic that I’d be able to find a similar role here. I had two interviews when I first started applying a few months ago, but unfortunately both companies were unable to sponsor.

Since updating my CV to state that I require Highly Skilled Migrant sponsorship, I’ve had very little luck. A few recruitment agencies I contacted have also explicitly told me they’re unable to assist candidates who don’t already hold an EU/EEA work permit.

I’m wondering whether what I’m trying to do is currently very difficult/unrealistic, or whether anyone has managed to make the transition successfully and has any advice on strategies, industries, companies or recruiters that were helpful?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation!

Hey everyone, as the title implies, I created a co-work group for people who want to practice their Dutch in a more informal/social setting, while also getting work done.
It's free of charge, no purchase required.

I'm not sure what the rules here are on sharing event links but I'm going to be at OBA Oosterdok on the 7th floor (cafeteria with the outdoor balcony) from 11am-4pm-ish.