Netherlands
Working in Amsterdam
Most Dutch job offers that come with a relocation package come from here, and so does the country's tightest housing market. The salary threshold is national, but the rent is not.
What the city runs on
Amsterdam is where international employers put their European headquarters, which is why so many highly skilled migrant permits start with an Amsterdam contract. Finance, technology and the legal and consulting firms that serve both dominate the offers. The airport at Schiphol sits fifteen minutes from the centre by train, which matters more than it sounds: a lot of these roles are regional, not local, and you will be flying.
The catch nobody mentions in the offer
Housing is the binding constraint, not salary. Rental supply in the city is scarce enough that people commonly commute in from Haarlem, Amstelveen or Almere for their first year. If your employer offers a temporary apartment for the first months, that is worth real money — treat it as part of the package rather than a courtesy.
What to check before you sign
Two things, and neither is about the city. Your employer must be a recognised sponsor with the IND, or the highly skilled migrant route is closed no matter what the salary is. And the Dutch threshold is quoted per month and excludes holiday allowance, so the number in your offer letter and the number the IND tests are not the same number.
This page is information, not advice. We are not an employer, a recruitment agency, a visa centre or an immigration adviser, and we are not affiliated with any government body. Rules change — confirm against the official source before you act.