On Monday, February 26, 2024, the Center for Career Education (CCE) hosted the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York for a Design Your Next Steps workshop on Exploring International Careers & Visas. CCE was joined by Homeyra Abrishamkar, Advisor International Startups & Talent, Rutger de Graaf, Coordinator Netherlands Point of Entry, Kim Stukker, Jr. Economic Officer, Zana Ustebay, Sr. Economic Officer, and Jorn Poldermans, Sr. Economic Officer & Startup Liaison NYC.
The Dutch Consulate General in NY works to accelerate access and make connections for startup companies looking to expand and recruit international talent. They hold a number of networking events each month and encourage students interested in pursuing careers internationally to attend events to build connections and learn more about opportunities.
ICYMI, here are some key takeaways from the workshop:
Starting Your Career with the Netherlands
The Netherlands Point of Entry is your first stop for looking for opportunities and securing a visa. They offer a number of visas, but three were discussed for the purpose of the workshop: Orientation Visa, Highly Skilled Migrant Visa, and Startup Visa.
Orientation Visa: The Orientation Visa is a 1-year permit that students can apply to. This visa allows graduates to come to the Netherlands without a secured position to job search, explore, and learn about life in the Netherlands. Students are eligible to apply for the Orientation Visa up to 3 years after graduation.
Highly Skilled Migrant Visa: International talent is permitted this visa when they have secured an opportunity with a Dutch company. The Netherlands have over 9,000 companies who are recognized sponsors and makes the process of becoming one manageable for organizations. Once you get through the interviewing process and are offered a position, the company will apply for the visa, which can take up to 2 weeks to approve. Visa holders are initially contracted for one year then the company can choose to extend the contract. This timeline may vary by company.
Startup Visa: The Netherlands grant Startup Visas to those who have innovative and scalable ideas. The startup company partners with a facilitator, a company in a related industry, who will sponsor the visa. For the first year, the facilitator serves as a mentor and introduces the startup to potential clients and markets. After the year, the facilitator evaluates the startup to assess milestones and goals which determines if the Startup Visa is then extended.
Note: While you do not need to be fluent in Dutch to apply for a visa, some companies may have that as a requirement based on the position and their needs. Some companies will provide funding to international talent in order to take language classes.
Advice for Students
Attend networking events to build relationships with employers. You are competing for positions against other talented individuals. Relationship-building can improve your connections and showcase your interests and skills.
Be confident in yourself and your abilities.
Do research into what living and working in the Netherlands is like. Research US-based Dutch companies who are looking to hire international talent for their US offices.
The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York hosts a number of networking and other events each month. Follow them on LinkedIn and social media to stay up to date about these events and other career opportunities.
CCE Resources
Check out these additional resources to help with your international job search: GoinGlobal and Uniworld
Make an appointment with a career counselor for support with your job and internship search, or to discuss strategies for discerning whether an organization has a culture of diversity and inclusion. You can also stop by our Quick Questions drop-in hours, in-person and virtually, Monday through Friday from 2:00 pm — 4:00 pm. No appointment is necessary.
Visit our events page to check out our upcoming DYNS workshops, career fairs, and industry showcases! Design Your Next Steps (DYNS) is a series of CCE and employer workshops that will help you gain practical skills for engagement with employers and alumni, and guide you through the internship/job and graduate school search process.