5 Tips for Tech Jobs in Amsterdam

Tech expats in Amsterdam work in what many in the industry media have called one of the hottest tech sectors in Europe.

Basics For Tech Expats in Amsterdam

The tech sector in Amsterdam is a vibrant community that has a lot of support from within the government in terms of incentives to help attract talent and encourage investment.

There are plenty of excellent restaurants in Amsterdam for just about any palate.

Read our 10 tips for living in the Netherlands for more specifics about life in Amsterdam and the Netherlands in general.

Tech Companies in Amsterdam

Tech expats in Amsterdam have a lot of companies to consider working for... from large companies such as Google Amsterdam, Uber Amsterdam and Adyen. Facebook's office in Amsterdam often has career opportunities available.

Recently, there have been several articles written about start up growth in Amsterdam. FT.com describes Amsterdam as a modern-day refuge for the start-up crowd. It mentions some of the pros and cons of working in the Amsterdam tech sector, as well as offering some local perspective, travel options and more.

Another article on BBC.com discusses the the 1000s of jobs available in technology, oil and other industries.

On Bloomberg.com, an article entitled the Next Global Tech Hotspot? Amsterdam Stakes Its Claim quotes an Irish entrepreneur as saying that "it's easier to build a network here... It's a bit of a village feel," and "It's a great testing ground."

Amsterdam's 30% Tax Ruling

With the 30% Tax Ruling, Amsterdam's employers are provided with an incentive to bring highly-skilled migrants, including tech expats, into Amsterdam. It is essentially a tax break for specific employees in the Netherlands. The specifics of the 30% tax ruling are a bit complex and should be carefully explored, preferably with an expat tax expert.

English is Widely Spoken in Amsterdam

Expats working the tech sector will find that English is spoken by a large number of their co-workers - for better or worse. While not being able to speak Dutch might not hurt your careers initially, some expats complain that it can in the long run. There are so many people in Amsterdam that can speak English, and are happy to do so, that learning Dutch through immersion in the work place can be very difficult.

The Netherlands is in the Schengen Area

Since the Netherlands is in the Schengen Area, in which 22 of the 26 countries in the European Union have essentially open borders among members and share a common visa.