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I have just about given up on the USA and I was wondering how hard it is to move to The Netherlands? I am an IT person with good skills in VMware, Exchange Active Directory, Windows servers, etc. I do see some postings on the http://www.xpatjobs.com site but I always wondered how hard is it to relocate to another country?

With you being an American, the chances of you getting sponsored job are slim to none. The best way to move to the Netherlands is by opening a business under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty. It allows an American to open a business with a minimum investment of 4500 euro. The best thing about the treaty is you don't have to fulfill the normal IND requirements. You can read more about the treaty here expatlaw.nl/dutch_american_friendship_treaty…

You can also read the personal experience of someone who went through the process without the help of an immigration lawyer. http://dutchamericanfriendshiptreaty.com/

Peace,

Balou

Thanks for the information. My wife is a writer and operates as a business in that sense, I wonder if that would be enough of a business.

MasterLost wrote:Thanks for the information. My wife is a writer and operates as a business in that sense, I wonder if that would be enough of a business.

I don't know if that will work. I know you have to make around €1,500 month in income. There is also a minimum number of customers/clients you must have and number of hours you must work. But you could open a sole proprietorship a work as an IT consultant.

Peace,
Balou

MasterLost wrote:I have just about given up on the USA and I was wondering how hard it is to move to The Netherlands? I am an IT person with good skills in VMware, Exchange Active Directory, Windows servers, etc. I do see some postings on the http://www.xpatjobs.com site but I always wondered how hard is it to relocate to another country?

There is a shortage of IT staff in NL, however I am not sure what the chances of getting sponsorship are. I loosely work in the IT space, and don't know an American who is here under sponsorship.

Why do you want to live in NL compared to other European locations?

Marco wrote:
Why do you want to live in NL compared to other European locations?

For Me? The ease of logistics for distribution purposes..I actually like the weather. The people are generally welcoming. Despite popular belief the food is good.

~Ian

Balou wrote:

MasterLost wrote:Thanks for the information. My wife is a writer and operates as a business in that sense, I wonder if that would be enough of a business.

I don't know if that will work. I know you have to make around €1,500 month in income. There is also a minimum number of customers/clients you must have and number of hours you must work. But you could open a sole proprietorship a work as an IT consultant.

She made about €2500 a month last year and is on track to double that this year. How about importing pets. cats specifically?

Marco wrote: There is a shortage of IT staff in NL, however I am not sure what the chances of getting sponsorship are. I loosely work in the IT space, and don't know an American who is here under sponsorship.

Why do you want to live in NL compared to other European locations?

Well, Ireland is too... desolate, Spain and Italy are too hot, Belgium seems boring though northern France might work, I do like to eat. I've never been to the UK or Germany but I don't think I would like to live there. The Scandinavian countries might be interesting but I don't know much about them.

That being said I am a practical, utilitarian sort of person and from what I have seen The Netherlands seem to be a good fit.

MasterLost wrote: I've never been to the UK or Germany but I don't think I would like to live there.

Well if you did ever plan to come here, You would have to do extensive research about which area to live in, there are many 'not very nice' areas here. But then again there are some very nice areas. Around me there is North Sutton and Horsham both of which I have relatives. I am extremely jealous of their houses, swimming pools, croquet course and tennis courts. Not everyone in the UK has a pool like a lot of houses in the states

Anyway sorry I ranted on there. Good luck with your move to Europe and hopefully you get a job and have a good life where you move too. Try and keep a log on here of your move if you can, I would love to read it

tpelling wrote:You would have to do extensive research about which area to live in, there are many 'not very nice' areas here.

Every country in the world is the same.

Boner wrote:

tpelling wrote:You would have to do extensive research about which area to live in, there are many 'not very nice' areas here.

Every country in the world is the same.

Not every country, I think the UK is up there with extensive dodgy areas, just because a lot of gang violence does not get light does not mean it does not happen.

In the saying of the 'Uk is up there' I mean excluding the obvious areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone e.c.t

I dont know a country that doesn't have rough areas.

Boner wrote:I dont know a country that doesn't have rough areas.

There are a few to speak of, if you sorted it by the safest country you would be looking at 'Cyprus'. One of the lowest crime rates in any country in the world, you can literally leave your car unlocked and your possessions on your front garden

Yeah but even in the safest countries you're going to get rough areas thats just the way life is, money influences how nice/safe an area is as well and we all know that every country has rich and poor.

I have been to Cyprus many times, In terms of rough areas you will probably get a few, very very small. It is such a safe place to be haha!