Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Netherlands: If I wanted to move there
kimmar
Member Posts: 446
I live in San Diego right now. But lets suppose I wanted to move to the Netherlands. How easy or difficult would that be? Does anyone know?
What are the immigration policies like? Is it hard to find a job there? Are you guys welcoming to American's?
I've always been fascinated by the Netherlands. I don't know why, I've just always found myself attracted to that part of the world. I've been on vacation there 2 times and I cry when I have to leave.
This may sound crazy but it's like it's my home. I know I've lived in America all my life and in S.D., but I feel like I belong there. 
=============================
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid
Comments
Maybe in a past life you were a nordic bard seducing the wenches.
If you are not being responded to directly, you are probably on my ignore list.
I could be wrong but im pretty sure thats how it works you could check into that with someone who lives there or a customs person.
98% of the teenage population does or has tried smoking pot. If you''re one of the 2% who hasn''t, copy & paste this in your signature.
I'm pretty sure there citizen test is really tough, thats just what I've heard from people though.
However you have little to no free cash after taxes with 60% income tax at each year and a shit load from each check plus a high cost of living unless your wealthy it would be hard to live there.
98% of the teenage population does or has tried smoking pot. If you''re one of the 2% who hasn''t, copy & paste this in your signature.
www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/
I'm not claiming to be an expert on the immigration policies of the Netherlands, but really, if you want to live here, you should be fine.
Is it hard to find a job here? I'd have to say No, it's not difficult to find a job. ofcourse it depends on what kind of job you're looking for and your education but in general it's not too difficult to find a job in the Netherlands.
I think most people here are friendly towards immigrants. You'll find that most people are able to speak somewhat decent english. Still, it is encouraged to learn dutch if you want to live here.
www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/
I'm not claiming to be an expert on the immigration policies of the Netherlands, but really, if you want to live here, you should be fine.
Is it hard to find a job here? I'd have to say No, it's not difficult to find a job. ofcourse it depends on what kind of job you're looking for and your education but in general it's not too difficult to find a job in the Netherlands.
I think most people here are friendly towards immigrants. You'll find that most people are able to speak somewhat decent english. Still, it is encouraged to learn dutch if you want to live here.
Thanks.I'm just looking for some kind of adventure for after my boys all grow up. I've got no plans of slowing down once they move out of the house.
From what I've seen on vacations the people there were nice. But how a place treats tourists and how they treat immigrants are always a different story. Immigrants in America are treated very well. I can't recall any immigrant I know here ever complaining of ill treatment. But I have heard some American's who went abroad to work come back here with stories from other countries of bad treatment. I'm not talking about the Netherlands, don't get me wrong. But the stories I've heard of other countries were bad enough to prompt me to always ask.
In America, as long as you work and pull your part you more than fit in. We're a culture of everything, so fitting in doesn't take much time. Just the other day I cracked up when my boys had a new student from their school over to spend the night. He was from Japan. His mother came to pick him up and she was telling me how impressed she was at American's. She said that she was so nervous moving here but that her kids have made so many friends and have had nothing but good things to say. I think that's pretty awesome about us.
Oh well, just thought I'd throw that in for some reason.
=============================
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up
When it all seems so stupid
a saying from news medias is 'if it dont bleed, it dont lead'
worldwide press is mostly negative of the US despite our citizens donate more money around the world annually to charities and catastrophes than some countries entire GDP. Even prior to iraq.
I can think of only one reason why I'd want to live in the netherlands. Good luck!
-I will subtlety invade your psyche-
But only a fraction of the percentage other countries give of their GDP.
The Netherlands is an OK country. Don't look at it through rose-coloured glasses though, please. I don't mind living here, but I'm liking it is a different word.
Well, I live in Belgium (just south), I go to holland to surf there , it's just a few miles north,(holland is what they and we call "the netherlands" usually)
I can tell you random things you might want to know
Do you speak any dutch or flemish at all? Speaking a bit of dutch / flemish or even french will be a huge boost to being able to find a job. Your job interview won't be in english for any normal job.
Holland and Belgium get English classes from when we're 12 to 18 every year in good high-schools, so most are really fluent in it and will understand you perfectly.
I think the language barrier will be the biggest problem. You won't have difficulties understanding them in english, nor will they have any. But not many businesses here or companies use english as their primary means to communicate. If you know nothing at all, and are really serious about moving, I would advise you to go study dutch or flemish. You will never be truly 'accepted' if you don't speak a word of dutch I think. I know there's classes in the US that give either flemish or dutch, I can't tell you where though, you'd have to look that up.
Europe is very diverse in languages, and a lof of people speak 3 or 4 languages. But the languages do not mingle per country a lot, there are definite language barriers, and people and businesses have to uphold them to preserve the language. If you work in a country, you are usually expected to speak that language if you want a decent job.
Are they 'welcome to americans', I guess they are if you're schooled high enough and a company wants to hire you.
The biggest sectors in holland are in the service sector, meaning banks and service related industries. Also foods and chemical industry.
Have you checked the immigration policy yet? It's easy to migrate from a european country to another euro country, but it's pretty hard if you're not european to just migrate here I think.
You'll have to check that. Hope that helps.
What, you mean European countries aren't expected to just let people wander across their borders and immigrate like we are here in America?
Sorry, not trying to hijack your topic. Just pointing out a big contrast.
===============================
