Netherlands
Working in The Hague
The seat of Dutch government and of international courts and tribunals. A job market unlike any other in the country, because a large part of it is not commercial at all.
What the city runs on
Government, diplomacy and international law. The International Court of Justice and a cluster of tribunals and international organisations sit here, alongside the ministries and the embassies that follow them. There is a commercial sector too — Shell has long had a major presence — but the character of the city comes from the institutions.
Why that changes the hiring path
Positions at international organisations often sit outside the ordinary immigration route entirely: they run on privileges and immunities arrangements rather than on employer sponsorship. If your offer comes from such a body, the highly skilled migrant rules on this site may simply not apply to you, and you should ask the organisation's own human resources department which regime you fall under.
What to check before you sign
Which employer type you are joining, before anything else. A Dutch company means the sponsor and threshold rules apply as normal. An international organisation means a different set of rules, a different tax position, and questions our country pages cannot answer for you.
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.