r/Netherlands

I got an initial two months contract, I've only worked for 3 weeks (12 days), my employer told me to stop coming to work as from the next day. Their reason; tempo. I guess they meant I wasn't working fast enough. I got terminated before completing my probation period and without prior notice.to think casually done on the hallway with no empathy.Is this even legal? I am so mentally distabilized right now and pained

Hello everyone as someone who grew up living here in the Netherlands (18m) something always noticed how nobody really discussed topics such as suicide or mentalhealth or anything really related to talking about how you feel and it’s kinda sad how many people suffer here and are just scared to talk about they’re feelings since a lot of people here like to make fun of other for just being “different “ since I experienced last sep-januari depression and was genuinely miserable I find it really sad how it’s not talked enough here and there should really be a wake up call and start taking this topic more seriously

Hi. I graduated with a Bachelors degree back in 2024. I took an orientation year, struggled, worked in hospitality, went back home for a few months and continued on a partner visa.

After this I continued working in a freelance role (nothing to do with my study) which I really loved but the pay was too unstable, so I had to leave that after 6 months. Now what am I working in? An unrelated corporate role with a 1.5 hour commute away from Amsterdam. I’m genuinely so confused how insanely difficult it seems to be to get a job that is relevant to my interests and experience? I have been applying to marketing, social media, content creation, operations, project management roles on and off for a ridiculous period of time. I have proven experience in marketing, about 3.5-4 years across internships and working on my own channels - a whole portfolio showcasing everything from content to analytics. In operations and project management I don’t have direct experience but through all my corporate roles I’ve learned the staple softwares and have a very good understanding of how it works - so an entry level position would absolutely suit me. It’s especially miserable because I truly enjoy both marketing and project management so much and for the life of me I cannot understand what I’m doing wrong.

I’m literally depressed at this point, don’t know how to keep fixing and changing my resume and portfolio and what is missing, the commute to my current role means I already have about 11-12 hours of my day gone on that. I spend mornings, evenings and weekends doing this and it’s gotten to the point where I’m burnt out because I never stop working on my actual 9-5 or desperately doing these stupid applications just to get an auto rejection email the next morning. I live in the centre of Amsterdam and I’m commuting on a bus to the middle of nowhere and it’s really making me question my self esteem and skills at this point. I know I’m good at marketing, what the hell am I doing wrong? After 1.5 months of straight applying, I don’t have a single interview. A couple of companies were initially interested and hired others before I even got to the interview stage. Is it a lack of certifications? Is it the language? Plenty of these roles are English-only and junior meaning they require even less experience than I have. I send the recruiters connects on LinkedIn and they don’t accept. I send an extra email after the application for roles I specifically think fit well, explaining I’m highly keen and why it fits my skills well. These were all ignored btw. I know Dutch is required for most roles and I’m currently in classes, I apply to all of the English roles and even to the ones that specify Dutch because sometimes they could be flexible on it. I don’t apply if Dutch is mandatory. But I know SO MANY EXPATS working in marketing here speaking only English with just a Bachelors degree. I ask for feedback after some applications are rejected, if it seems like I’m speaking with a human and not a bot. No specific feedback so far.

What’s making me more miserable is thinking every person I know from university who is currently working at a big corporate graduated into that role from an internship. I couldn’t afford another internship post graduation, and it’s making me wonder if that screwed my whole career trajectory.

I know if I go back to my home country I would be able to find an excellent job at a big corporate within a matter of months. But I need to stick it out until I have the passport at least, because mine is shit. Is this common in marketing? Are extra certifications just a standard that everyone has? I used to do a cover letter in PDF for every application and I’ve stopped doing that now because it takes 3x the time - is that why? Literally what is going on and I would really appreciate any other expats or locals insight on this specifically for marketing, content creation, operations and PM. I’m at the end of my tether.

Update - so as I suspected, the problem is not me, it’s the industry. Because if we’re expected to go do a Masters degree, go home and work on certification courses, then a few hours additional learning Dutch on top of that - all to get paid the same as a barista at Joe & The Juice for an entry level role in marketing - they’ve truly lost their minds.

Hello Reddit family,
I’ve been working in the Netherlands for the last 4 years and recently I became unemployed for the first time as my contract was not extended in my last job. In 2 months I’m starting school for a masters degree and until then I really wanted to enjoy unemployment and even go for long vacation.
Yesterday I found out this is not allowed, while on benefit you always need to be available for work and cannot leave the country. As I was about to cancel my benefit application (I still didn’t receive any benefit yet) my friend told me not to be stupid and just apply to jobs I know will reject me, report them and enjoy those 2 months guiltless.
The thing is I’m a pretty anxious character and I’m really afraid to get caught, the past week I got quite a few calls about job offers that I asked them to email me so I can evaluate them. Is possible for uwv to contact with them and know that I’m getting offers that I’m not accepting? In reality most of those don’t actually interest me because they don’t offer part time options and in two months i absolutely won’t be available for full time (also I don’t want to find a job and drop it in 1.5 months to find a part time).
Has anyone been to similar situation? What’s the best way to hack the system for 2 months without getting caught while also being abroad.
Any tips, tricks and pre-made excuses for the uwv calls will be really appreciated.

I am in the process of renting a room in the Netherlands. The house that the room is located is shared with the landlord. Yesterday I was given a hospita tenancy agreement by the landlord's real estate agent. The agreement states that:

"The first nine (9) months following the commencement

date shall serve as the legal trial period (Article 7:232 paragraph 3 of the Dutch

Civil Code) (p. 1). Within these 9 months, the Landlord may terminate the

agreement in writing at any time without stating reasons, subject to a legal notice

period of three (3) months (p. 1). The Tenant does not acquire permanent rent

protection during these initial 9 months (p. 1)."

I understand that the landlord wants to protect themselves since they will be living under the same roof as me, but isn't this arrangement insecure for me?

I spent 1 year as an exchange student and I just came back to my home country. It was the most beautiful time in my life. It has been 10 days and I'm still thinking about my home in Amsterdam. I had my favorite coffee place in the neighborhood, visited west/east/north/south amsterdam all, and went to 10+ other cities. I learned language and got A1. King's day, liberation day, and many other outdoor events held in the park....... Winter was hard bur it was worth it. Already miss the taste of coffee, my neighborhood, buildings, and everything. Wish I come back someday.

Hello, im working at a fast fashion company and this month is my last month before my contract ends. I told them i dont want to continue after my contract ends since the last two weeks of this month i have my vacation and wish to not come back to work afterwards. Now i have realized that they reduced my working hours to 30 i assume so that they can pay me less for this month since half the month i will be on vacation. Is this legal? Is there anything i can do?

I honestly don’t know how people tolerate Ns.

A few days ago, I was travelling from Ommen to Groningen. I was supposed to arrive at 00:10, but because of multiple disruptions and delays I didn’t get home until 6:30 AM. It turned into a 6+ hour journey, and I ended up stranded in the middle of the night waiting for replacement transport.
Today, I thought I’d play it safe. I had a meeting in Ommen at 11:30 AM, so I left Groningen at 6:30 AM—five hours early—to make sure I wouldn’t be late.
And yet, thanks to today’s disruptions, I’m still going to arrive late.
I completely understand that things like weather, signal failures, and infrastructure issues happen, and I know they’re not always within NS’s control. But when leaving five hours early still isn’t enough to reliably make a trip of around an hour, it’s incredibly frustrating.
I can’t even get to work on time
Like if any other company did something similar there would be larger consequences,
Am I the only one that feels that there should be?

Hey everyone! I came to the Netherlands (I am non-EU) for a master's in Astronomy at Leiden and graduated last year. I have been looking for a PhD or an industry job, but haven't had any success. I have been on the orientation year permit, but it is about to run out in September, so I need a work and residence permit to continue living here (which will be the GVVA, if I am correct). In the meantime, I have been working at McDonald's to sustain myself. However, from my first day, they said they couldn't arrange a work permit for me once my orientation year ended. Thus, I need to find another job that can, so that I can continue living here and continue my search. I need some advice regarding that as follows -

1. Is it even feasible to obtain a work permit (in terms of the requirements) on a minimum wage or store job? If so, what should I keep in mind?
2. Do you know of any such places/companies in/around Leiden or the Randstad that can sponsor a work permit for me?
3. If there is a place willing to sponsor a work permit for me but doesn't give me enough hours, can I also work at a different place at the same time (say, McDonald's) to earn enough?

A bit more info about me, if that can be helpful - firstly, I don't speak Dutch fluently (lacking confidence to speak for one), but do understand quite a lot (enough to get the customers at work, for example). I am also trying my best to learn it on my own using books and free online resources. My housing situation is also fine, as my landlord is willing to let me stay in my place here in Leiden (I already have the new contract too).

Please let me know if any of you know anything about this or have any leads on places.

I'm currently living in Finland and considering a PhD offer at TU Eindhoven (TU/e). I am very familiar with the Finnish academic system-where there is high autonomy, a very flat hierarchy, good work-life balance, and generally low day-to-day pressure.

I want to understand what the transition to the Dutch system looks like, specifically regarding the daily grind. I'd love to hear from anyone currently doing a PhD at TU/ e or in the Netherlands.

Here are a few simple questions:

1 In Finland, supervisors give you a lot of space, which is great but can sometimes feel a bit isolating. How hands-on are the professors and postdocs at TU/e?

Do you get a lot of guidance, or are you expected to completely manage your own project from day one?

2. Is the work culture at TU/e heavily pressure-based? Do you feel constant stress to hit milestones, or is there a healthy respect for work-life balance and working standard hours? Are weekends and evenings generally respected, or is there an unwritten expectation to οverwork?

To be completely honest, I don't really consider myself the "ideal" or traditional candidate for a PhD, but it's an opportunity I really want to try out and give a shot. Because of that, knowing whether the environment is supportive or a high-pressure pressure cooker will really help me make my final choice

I'd really appreciate any insights on how stressful or supportive the environment actually feels on a daily basis.

Thanks in advance!

The aircraft returned from Willemstad, Curaçao, after supporting the Dutch response to the recent earthquake in Venezuela. On board were members of the Dutch Urban Search and Rescue (USAR.NL) team returning home after completing their humanitarian mission. The video captures the aircraft's arrival, welcome on the military apron, ground operations, and departure in much detail.

First of all, congratulations to Morocco and all the Moroccan supporters on the win! 🇲🇦

I am an expat and I’ve been living in the Netherlands for six years now. I currently live in the centre of Rotterdam, and before that I lived right in the centre of Amsterdam (inside the ring), so I never really experienced this before.

This is now the second time I’ve noticed that after Morocco wins an important football match, people drive around for hours honking their car horns. It’s happening again tonight, and the previous time the match ended around 6 a.m., people were still driving around honking afterwards.

I live right by the river and one of the main roads into the city centre, so maybe I’m hearing more of it than others.

I completely get wanting to celebrate a big win, but after a few hours it starts to get a bit much.
I’m genuinely curious what Dutch people think. Is this something that’s generally accepted here as part of football celebrations, or do most people find it annoying too? Just trying to understand the local perspective.
Is it also allowed?

Edit: omg this post blew up!

Hi everyone,

I am a mid 20s woman, and I am honestly at the point where I am exhausted from multiple jobs that feels like a dead end.

For years I have worked hard in parcel delivery driving, warehouses, and other physically demanding roles. I have carried heavy boxes, injured my back, worked 13 hours shifts everyday, dealt with mediocre management, and all the usual chaos that comes with these jobs.

But after a recent experience, I realised I cannot keep doing this forever.

I recently have worked for a parcel delivery company. I was NOT paid by hour. I was paid only 0.80 cent per stop. Generally, I worked almost 80 hours a week. I used to deliver 300 packages a day. I never got the time to take a minute of break. The packages were heavy and bulky. However, I have never complained to them, because for me, any work is work as long I am being paid. I was paid less than a typical minimum wage job. However, here comes the twist, the company refused to pay my salary. €2,500 was delayed, and I ended up financially unstable while trying to survive, pay bills, and figure out what to do next. It was one of the most stressful situations I have experienced. A month has passed being jobless. And as I was almost about to seek legal help, I finally received some of the money from that employer. However, I lost time, energy, peace of mind, and trust.

That experience made me realise that I need a proper job now: a normal contract, clear hours, reliable monthly salary, and a peaceful workplace where I can build a future instead of constantly worrying whether I will be paid or injured.

I do not have a university degree, but I have real work experience. I am good with computers, customer communication, organising information, and working independently. My English is very strong in writing and speaking, and I also speak Italian, because of my nationality. My Dutch is still beginner level, but I am learning. I cannot afford a proper Dutch course. I am stuck to learning the language online.

I would love to move into something more stable and office-based, such as in reception, administration, planning, logistics coordination, IT, or any English/Italian-speaking role.
I have a car, I can commute, I am available full-time. I believe I can learn anything quickly.

Does anyone have genuine advice on companies that hire English-speaking people without a degree? I am not looking for another vague delivery job or unstable ZZP arrangement. I am looking for a real chance to build a normal working life.

Any leads would genuinely mean a lot.

My DM is open for everyone.

Edit: I live near Rotterdam but I am open to relocate for work.

Thanks for reading.

I seriously don’t understand why there wasn’t better traffic management today.

I have no issue with people celebrating a football win, but blocking major roads and public transport is just ridiculous. My tram was completely stuck in Rotterdam because crowds were taking over the streets. We barely moved for what felt like forever.

People are just trying to get home, meet friends, make plans, or simply move around the city. Public transport shouldn’t come to a standstill because of a celebration.

Celebrate all you want, but why should everyone else have to deal with this level of disruption?

Was anyone else caught in this today?