• First of all, if you do not speak Dutch, it might be a bit (more) difficult to find a graduate job in the Netherlands. So, learning Dutch will definitely enhance your graduate job opportunities.
• However, there is an international job market in the Amsterdam region, where Dutch is not necessarily the business language.
• Working during your studies, doing an internship and working after your graduation requires the correct permits and insurances.

Dutch health insurance is mandatory

• If you wish to work in the Netherlands, whether it’s a student job during to your studies or working after you’ve graduated (part-time or fulltime), basic Dutch health insurance is mandatory.
• If you have a temporary job, you have to change your private health insurance to the Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). You have to change it back when you stop working. If you work in the Netherlands and do not have Dutch basic health insurance, you can get a fine.

Through the link below, you can find for more information on health insurance in the Netherlands.

Do I need a work permit?

Whether or not you need a permit to work in the Netherlands depends on your nationality.

• No work permit needed (EU/EEA)

Citizens of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom do not need a work permit and there are no restrictions on the number of hours you can work.

• Work permit needed (non-EU/EEA​

​Citizens of other countries do need a work permit (the permit is free of charge) and there are rules and regulations depending on whether you’re working during your studies or after you’ve graduated.

If you wish to work in the Netherlands, you will need a Citizen Service Number (burgerservicenummer, BSN). A BSN is a personal tax and social security number. Every person living in the Netherlands must have one. You will automatically receive a BSN when you register with the municipality. There is no way to receive a BSN without registering with the municipality.

There are about 3,000 international companies in the Amsterdam region. The top industries in the Amsterdam region for internationals are ICT, Finances, Business, Creative industry, but also life sciences and agri-food.

The UvA Student Careers Centre supports UvA students in shaping their future with advice for finding a relevant internship and/or a graduate job. For related side jobs, internships and temporary job services you can follow the links below. These services are open to all UvA students of all degree programmes.

• UvA Job board is a vacancy platform for UvA students with study related side jobs and a great variety of internships and graduate jobs.

• StudiJob is a temporary job service directly affiliated with the UvA.

For students from non-EU/EEA countries, there are strict rules for working in the Netherlands during your studies.

After graduating from the UvA, international students can stay in the Netherlands to find a job.