I am Canadian and I was wondering what i would have to move to the Netherlands?

Question

What exactly will I need. Passports, visa's, a job before I go? What about moving a whole family there?

Answer 1

As an expat, finding a job in the Netherlands is similar to seeking employment in other industrial countries. If you have local contacts, then seeking employment through friends, current and former colleagues, family members, neighbors or friends is a way to go. Some Dutch companies, in fact, can be staffed to a great extent through these informal channels.

Some guides say that a good way for people to get employment in the Netherlands is by first seeking a position with a company in their home country and then to apply for a transfer. This is, at best, a very passive and haphazard way to go about moving to Amsterdam.

There's a highly skilled migrant program, which means that companies can easily get you a work permit if you and the jobs qualify.

Answer 2

im not to sure about if you'll need a job there but as long as you have plenty money to support yourself at first, you should be ok, abe warned though if your thinking of moving your family, houses in Amsterdam and other populated areas can be expensive! As for visas, im not sure, but your definatley gonna need your passport!

Answer 3

well, believe it or not, Canada is part of the European Space Agency, so have a look at their vacancies. If they decide to appoint you from Canada, you will also get quite a good tax break, and obviously they'll pay for the move, home leave every two years, etc.

The organisation is European, but the research and technology lab is based in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands.

Answer 4

Basically you have two issues (a) the visa one and (b) Dutch language

In short - unless you hold a EU passport (or have a relationship with a Dutch/EU national) then in principle there are only a couple of 'routes' in to getting a working visa (and you can read all of these on the Dutch immigration site in English)

(a) being self-employed http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb...

(b) as a 'au pair' http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb...

(c) As a highly skilled migrant http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb...

(d) Self employed http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb...

(d) When aa company sponsors you with a job offer http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb...

Basically to get a working visa for the latter you must have a job offer and it is catch 22 as companies do not want to take the time, money or effort to bring someone from outside the EU unless they hold specialist knowledge/experience that they cannot find within the EU. If you read applications online, the majority even have the stipulation now in the application

So to get an "In" your best bet would be for an International organisation, UN, Europol, (or ESA such as above) etc etc or to work for a company in the Canada that has branches in NL and in which you can build up knowledge to be transfered based on that knowledge/experience.

You need to get that sorted before you think about the practicalties of moving.  Then when you have an offer, I would suggest that you come over on an extended visit, and check out accomodation etc in person or hire an agency (bit pricey though) to do it for you.

Once you get the visa you can apply for "family reunification"to take your family with you.  It is a long-winded process though.

I had a friend who was Canadian married to a Dutch guy.  They moved from Canada to NL and even though they were married it took in the region of 4+ months to arrange with him arranging everything from NL (they moved back to Canada last month ironically!)

Answer 5

prepare to smoke weed n pop pills all day, i think drugs are legal there