Wanna Go Dutch? A new guide makes immigration to the Netherlands easy
HILVERSUM, NETHERLANDS, 5 March 2024 – The Netherlands has become a favourite destination for South Africans looking to immigrate, and now a new guide will make it even easier for families to relocate.
The e-book "Wanna Go Dutch?" has been written specifically for South Africans and offers essential tips to make the move easier. These range from the paperwork you'll need to apply for your visa to choosing a new home for your family and enrolling your children at school.
Created by the team at Ir Olav's Globetrotters, an international consulting and recruitment company that connects South African professions with Dutch companies, the e-book offers an invaluable companion to anyone considering relocation to the Netherlands.
High demand for South African professionals
The brainchild of Ir Olav's Globetrotters managing partners Sonja Poortman and Diane van Galen Last, "Wanna Go Dutch?" is an all-in-one resource that thoroughly covers all aspects of relocating to the Netherlands.
"More and more South Africans are taking advantage of the wonderful career opportunities and work-life balance that the Netherlands offers," said Poortman.
"However, we know first-hand that relocating to a new country can be daunting. Having helped hundreds of South Africans take up job opportunities and immigrate to the Netherlands, we knew we needed to make our expertise available to more South Africans."
As of November, there were 114 vacancies per 100 unemployed people in the Netherlands. In a climate where there are more jobs than workers, more and more employers are looking to South Africa to find qualified professionals who can fill their vacancies.
The number of Highly Skilled Migrants who immigrated to the Netherlands from South Africa more than doubled year-on-year, from 900 in 2021 to 1860 in 2022, according to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) . This trend is expected to continue as the country entices skilled workers to its shores in a bid to decrease labour market tensions.
Jaun Nieuwoudt relocated from Johannesburg earlier this year to take advantage of the plentiful employment opportunities in the IT sector.
"Taking up a job in a new country has been an exciting adventure, but it has not been without its challenges. If we hadn't had help from Ir Olav's Globetrotters, we would never have been able to do everything. There's just so much hidden stuff you don't know about," he said.
A one-stop resource
"Wanna Go Dutch?" has advice for every facet of Dutch life – from navigating the new language and culture to understanding workplace hierarchies – as well as tips on navigating the psychological aspects of your move.
Nieuwoudt says the e-book will help other families with advice on what to bring to the Netherlands, how to prepare a budget based on their new income, and how to get around the country without a car.
"Our favourite part of moving has been using public transport. It's safe and efficient, and you meet locals while waiting for your bus. It's been a wonderful move for our family, especially my children," he said.
The increasing shortage of engineers, technicians and other highly educated employees in the Netherlands is creating a growing number of knowledge migrants from South Africa, said Poortman.
However, many of these South Africans struggle to access the information they need for a seamless move to the country, and the "Wanna Go Dutch?", published in English, looks to equip would-be immigrants with all the information they need in an easy-to-understand format.
"It provides useful information about relocating and tips and personal stories from our candidates who've gone through the relocation process. Instead of navigating the hundreds of online and social communities where people ask for advice, now you can have it all in one compact form at your fingertips," she said.
"Wanna Go Dutch?" is available for purchase from Amazon: https://a.co/d/bA0a5UG
