{"id":95890,"date":"2019-03-07T13:55:26","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T12:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=95890"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:23:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:23:13","slug":"are-dutch-companies-really-on-the-lookout-for-all-these-international-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2019\/03\/07\/are-dutch-companies-really-on-the-lookout-for-all-these-international-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Dutch companies really on the lookout for all these international students?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Research by EM into the career perspectives of internationals shows that international students would like to continue living and working in the Netherlands once they complete their studies. But what do companies think about this? Are they waiting expectantly to welcome internationals in the workspace?<\/p>\n

\u201cAround 300 international students applied for the 65 available places at the last International Day,\u201d explained Nienke Peters, Marketing & PR Commissioner of Erasmus Recruitment Days. Recruitment Days has organised a special recruitment day for international students for the past few years. It\u2019s a day on which internationals can attend workshops and make personal contact with companies and recruiters who are seeking an international workforce.<\/p>\n

Peters thinks it\u2019s great to see the enthusiasm of international students on such a day. \u201cThey really grasped every opportunity: they handed out their CVs, engaged in discussions with companies and enquired about internship options.\u201d According to Peters, the companies were just as enthusiastic. \u201cThe recruiters were really keen to come into contact with international students. They view the different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives that internationals bring with them as a real enrichment for their company.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anxiety<\/h2>
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Ning-Hsuan Yen<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Campus Recruiter Ning-Hsuan Yen from Philips agrees. \u201cMultinational companies like us are particularly always on the search for new international talent.\u201d As Campus Recruiter, she recruits students for a first job or internship. Yen regularly visits campuses to make contact with students. \u201cThe labour market in the Netherlands is becoming increasingly competitive, but international students have just the same chance of finding a job as their Dutch counterparts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yen was herself an international student from Taiwan. She completed her Finance and Investment master programme at RSM in 2014. As experience expert, she really understands the obstacles that international students face. In the EM survey, internationals indicate that the Dutch language and \u2013 for students from outside the EU \u2013 obtaining a work permit are the main obstacles. \u201cI recognise that anxiety,\u201d she explained. \u201cThese were obstacles for me too.\u201d She eventually took Dutch lessons after her master degree and obtained an Orientation Year Visa. <\/p>\n

Small talk<\/h2>

\u201cIt\u2019s certainly wise to learn Dutch, even if your future employer\u2019s official working language is English,\u201d advised Yen. In such cases, speaking Dutch is mainly useful in building social contacts. \u201cThen you can at least engage in small talk with your Dutch colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u201cStay in or go to the country in which you want to work. This makes everything easier to arrange for a company that wants to appoint you.\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Yen also thinks non-EU students shouldn\u2019t worry about the difficulties associated with obtaining a work permit. It is true that companies first have to seek candidates from within the EU \u2013 and they need to be able to prove this to the UWV \u2013 before appointing someone from outside the EU. But, explained Yen, this is usually the case if relocation is needed. \u201cFor international alumni from Dutch universities who already live in the Netherlands, the arrangements for a highly skilled migrant visa is simpler. Big multinational companies really won\u2019t have any problems with this,\u201d she explained. \u201cSo my tip is: stay in or go to the country in which you want to work. This makes everything easier to arrange for a company that wants to appoint you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Koen Knoop, Sales and Recruitment Manager at Undutchables, has another perspective. His company specialises in recruiting expats for companies in the Netherlands. So for him relocation is the norm. \u201cIf a company is being difficult about standing surety for your residency and work permit, then it probably doesn\u2019t really see any need to hire international employees,\u201d he said. \u201cThis also means that this is possibly not the right place for you as international.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dutch system<\/h2>\n\t
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Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t