Companies Hiring Internationals in NL 2026

The Netherlands is one of the most international labour markets in Europe. About 3 million people living in the Netherlands were born abroad (CBS, 1 January 2025), and many offices in cities like Amsterdam and Eindhoven work mainly in English. Finding the right company is the key to making this work in your favour.

This guide covers the companies most actively hiring internationals, what they offer, how to approach them, and the practical steps that increase your chances of landing the role.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.

Why the Netherlands Attracts International Talent

Several structural factors make the Dutch job market unusually open to international candidates:

English proficiency: The Netherlands scores very high in international English-proficiency rankings such as the EF English Proficiency Index. In practice, working in English is normal in most multinationals.

Multinational headquarters: Many large international companies have major Dutch operations or headquarters, among them ASML, Philips, Booking.com, Adyen, Heineken, NN Group and Shell (large office in The Hague; group headquarters in London). Such companies typically recruit internationally.

The 30% ruling: The Dutch 30% ruling tax incentive lets employers pay a tax-free allowance to internationally recruited employees who meet the conditions, which can make a net-salary offer more competitive.

IND recognised sponsors: IND-recognised sponsors can hire highly skilled migrants via the kennismigrant (highly skilled migrant) route. The IND publishes a public register of recognised sponsors that you can check for any employer. See the highly skilled migrant visa guide for eligibility details.

Top Companies Hiring Internationals: By Sector

Technology

ASML — Eindhoven

ASML is a major technology company in the Netherlands. It makes lithography machines for the semiconductor industry, including extreme ultraviolet (EUV) systems.

Check ASML’s own careers pages for current roles and for what relocation support it offers; support varies per role.

Booking.com — Amsterdam

Booking.com has its headquarters in Amsterdam and presents itself as an international employer.

Tech roles often involve case studies or technical assessments, so preparation time is well spent. See the salary negotiation guide before entering any offer discussions.

Adyen — Amsterdam

Adyen is an Amsterdam-based payments company serving global businesses and lists technical and commercial roles on its careers page.

TomTom — Amsterdam

TomTom, headquartered in Amsterdam, focuses on location technology and maps.

Elastic — Amsterdam (EMEA HQ)

Elastic (the company behind Elasticsearch) is a Dutch-registered company (Elastic N.V.) with an office in Amsterdam.

Finance and Fintech

ING Group — Amsterdam

ING is a large Dutch bank headquartered in Amsterdam and lists many tech, data and compliance roles in English on its careers site.

ABN AMRO — Amsterdam

ABN AMRO is a Dutch bank headquartered in Amsterdam; check its careers page for English-language roles. Their banking products are important for expats setting up in the Netherlands.

NN Group (Nationale-Nederlanden) — The Hague

NN Group is a Dutch insurance and asset-management group headquartered in The Hague.

Consumer and FMCG

Unilever — Rotterdam

Unilever has a major Dutch presence in Rotterdam. Check its careers pages for current graduate and professional programmes.

Philips — Amsterdam

Philips is headquartered in Amsterdam and focuses on health technology.

Heineken — Amsterdam

Heineken is headquartered in Amsterdam. Corporate roles are often in English; local market roles may require Dutch or the local language, so check each vacancy.

Energy

Shell — The Hague

Shell has a large office in The Hague. Shell moved its group headquarters to London in 2022, so check whether a role is based in the Netherlands.

TotalEnergies — Netherlands Operations

TotalEnergies has operations in the Netherlands; see its careers page for roles.

Logistics and Supply Chain

DHL — Amsterdam (EMEA HQ)

DHL has several business units with offices in the Netherlands; check the careers page of the relevant unit.

Maersk — Rotterdam

Maersk has operations linked to the port of Rotterdam; see its careers page for roles.

Life Sciences and Pharma

The Netherlands has a growing life sciences cluster, particularly in the Leiden Bio Science Park, the Amsterdam Medical Centre area, and around Eindhoven.

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) — Leiden and Tilburg

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen has operations in the Netherlands, including research in Leiden. See its careers page for current roles and locations.

AkzoNobel — Amsterdam

AkzoNobel (paints and coatings, including Dulux and Sikkens) is headquartered in Amsterdam.

DSM-Firmenich — Heerlen / Delft

dsm-firmenich is a nutrition, health and fragrance company with operations in the Netherlands, including Delft and Heerlen.

International Organisations and NGOs

The Hague hosts many international organisations, including the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, Europol and the OPCW. They recruit for legal, political, communications, research and administrative roles. Language requirements vary per organisation.

OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)

International organisation based in The Hague that implements the Chemical Weapons Convention. Technical and administrative roles.

Europol

EU law enforcement agency in The Hague. Check Europol’s careers page for eligibility; its staff roles have nationality requirements.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

Judicial and administrative roles; specific legal qualification requirements apply.

For many international organisation roles, check the UN Careers portal, Europol careers, and the specific agency career pages. These roles often have different visa and residency requirements than private sector employment.

Startups and Scale-ups

Amsterdam has a large startup scene, and Utrecht, Eindhoven and Groningen have startup communities too.

Many startups work in English. A smaller company may not be an IND-recognised sponsor, which limits its ability to hire non-EU candidates as highly skilled migrants.

Key startup ecosystems to watch:

• Amsterdam: Fintech (Mollie, Bunq, Adyen), health tech, SaaS, marketplace businesses
• Eindhoven: Deep tech, hardware, semiconductor ecosystem around ASML
• Delft: Deep tech, robotics, climate tech (proximity to TU Delft)
• Utrecht: Healthcare IT, sustainability, business software

Finding startup roles: LinkedIn, Angel.co/Wellfound, Techleap.nl, and the startup career boards run by accelerators like RISE (The Hague), Startupbootcamp, and YES!Delft.

How to Find English-Language Jobs in the Netherlands

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is widely used for professional hiring in the Netherlands, and recruiters commonly search it.

Key tactics for LinkedIn NL:

• Set your location to the Netherlands (even before you arrive) to appear in local searches
• Add “open to opportunities” and specify your preferred locations — include multiple Dutch cities
• Write your LinkedIn profile in English but mention Dutch proficiency (even basic) prominently
• Follow the companies in this guide, engage with their posts, and connect with recruiters at those companies
• Read the full LinkedIn Netherlands tips guide for more tactics specific to the Dutch market

IamExpat Jobs

IamExpat Jobs is a job board aimed at international candidates and English speakers. Always confirm visa sponsorship with the employer and check the IND sponsor register yourself.

Undutchables

Undutchables is a recruitment agency that places international candidates with Dutch employers. Check each listing for its language requirements.

Together Abroad

Together Abroad has a job board for international candidates and also covers visa and relocation topics.

Direct Company Career Pages

For the large multinationals — ASML, Booking.com, Shell, Unilever — the career pages are the most complete source of current openings. Set up job alerts on each company’s site for your target roles and check them weekly.

Interview Tips for International Candidates

Dutch interview culture can differ from what you are used to. The points below are general tendencies, not rules.

Read the dedicated job interview tips guide for the Netherlands for a full walkthrough. Key points:

Directness is expected. Dutch interviewers will ask direct, sometimes blunt questions about gaps in your CV, your reasons for leaving previous roles, and areas where you lack experience. They expect equally direct answers. Diplomatic non-answers signal lack of confidence rather than appropriate caution.

Equality, not hierarchy. Do not be deferential to the interviewer. Dutch work culture values egalitarianism — you are evaluating them as much as they are evaluating you, and they respect candidates who ask substantive questions about the role, the team, and the company.

Salary discussion is earlier. The Dutch generally discuss salary expectations earlier in the process than British or American candidates expect. Be ready with a number based on Dutch market salary research for your role and experience level. Check the salary checker tool to benchmark before you apply.

Multiple rounds are common. Senior roles often involve several rounds, sometimes with a case study or technical assessment.

Dutch work culture context. Understanding Dutch workplace norms — including the flat hierarchy, direct feedback culture, and work-life balance expectations — gives you something informed to say when they ask “what do you know about working in the Netherlands?”

The 30% Ruling: What Every International Applicant Needs to Know

If you are being recruited from abroad, the 30% ruling can significantly increase your net income. Here is the relevant summary for job seekers:

• Available to employees recruited or transferred from outside the Netherlands
• Lets your employer pay up to 30% of your salary tax-free for up to 5 years (shortened by earlier time in the Netherlands; the maximum drops to 27% from 2027)
• You and your employer complete the application together
• Requirements: you have lived more than 150 km from the Dutch border for more than 16 of the 24 months before your first working day, you are recruited from abroad, and you meet the salary norm (see the Belastingdienst page)

The catch: Employers are not obliged to apply for it or to pay the full 30%. Ask explicitly during the offer negotiation phase whether the company will apply for the 30% ruling on your behalf. Use the 30% ruling calculator to estimate your benefit.

Understanding Your Dutch Employment Contract

Once you receive an offer, the Dutch employment contract will be in Dutch (or bilingual — you can request an English version). Key elements to review:

• Contract type: Indefinite (vast contract) vs fixed-term (tijdelijk). Fixed-term is common for first hires of international candidates
• Probation period (proeftijd): Maximum 1 month for a temporary contract of more than 6 months but under 2 years; maximum 2 months for permanent contracts and temporary contracts of 2 years or longer; no probation for temporary contracts of 6 months or less (Rijksoverheid)
• Notice period: For a permanent contract you give 1 month’s notice (to the end of a calendar month). Your employer’s statutory notice is 1 month if you worked there under 5 years, and longer after that (Rijksoverheid)
• Collective labour agreement (CAO): Many sectors have sector-wide agreements that set minimum terms
• Holiday allowance (vakantiegeld): At least 8% of your gross annual salary, legally required; most employers pay it out in May
• Non-compete and IP clauses: Standard in tech and finance; review carefully

Understanding your Dutch pay slip (loonstrook) is equally important — the Dutch payroll system is not intuitive for newcomers, and knowing what each line means helps you verify you are being paid correctly and understand your tax position.

Networking in the Netherlands: What Actually Works

The Dutch professional culture values relationships built over time but is not as relationship-dependent as some other cultures for initial hiring decisions. However, a warm introduction — someone at the company who can speak to your abilities — meaningfully improves your chances at most firms.

Effective networking tactics for international professionals:

• LinkedIn connections: Connect with Dutch professionals in your target companies after engaging genuinely with their content. A personalised connection request commenting on something they have written is far more effective than a generic request.
• Industry meetups: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Utrecht all have active professional meetup scenes — check Meetup.com for tech, finance, and marketing events. These are typically English-friendly.
• IamExpat events: IamExpat runs regular networking events specifically for internationals, often with Dutch employers present.
• Alumni networks: Dutch universities (TU Eindhoven, TU Delft, Wageningen, UvA, VU, Utrecht) have strong alumni networks accessible to international graduates of partner institutions. US, UK, and Australian university alumni networks also have active Dutch chapters.

Practical Steps Before Your First Day

Finances first. Sort out an account for your salary before your first payday. A Dutch employer may not refuse a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (SEPA Regulation; De Nederlandsche Bank). If you need an account while setting up your Dutch bank account, set up Wise before your first salary arrives → — verified customers get EUR account details with a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address) that can receive salary payments.

BSN number. Your employer needs your BSN (Dutch citizen service number) for payroll. You get it when you register with your municipality (if you stay longer than 4 months, you must register within 5 days of arrival). See the BSN registration guide.

Health insurance. You must take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months of arriving in the Netherlands; cover then runs from the day you arrived (government.nl). See the Dutch health insurance guide.