Jobs in the Netherlands for couples and workers who want to leave together

Would you like to work abroad, but are too shy to go alone? Perhaps you are considering going with a relative, friend or your other half? Dutch recruitment agencies offer several placement options for couples or workers who want to go together.

Despite the fact that it is easier to get a job in the Netherlands on your own, a number of recruitment agencies can offer jobs for couples or for friends coming together. In some cases, it can even be beneficial to go to work with a friend or your partner.

3 situations where going to work in the Netherlands with a friend or your partner is beneficial

1: When one of the accompanying staff members does not speak English

If you don’t speak English, but your friend can speak it, he or she can help you translate work instructions and communicate with colleagues at work. Not only in the workplace, but also at home, it is much easier when one of the co-workers can speak English and can translate and help you communicate with co-workers from other countries.

2: When going abroad on your own is too intimidating

Going to work in the Netherlands is an important step and one that is much more courageous to take with a friend, family member or your other half. Going to work alone makes the experience in the Netherlands much more enjoyable and fun. And the experiences and memories are more memorable when you have someone to share them with.

3: Getting more privacy on shared accommodation

Rental prices in the Netherlands are quite high. For this reason, many temporary employment agencies accommodate their workers in their own homes, where several people share rooms.

When you go to work in the Netherlands with a friend or your other half, you will most likely share the same room. This is a big advantage, given that if you come to work in the Netherlands on your own, you would have to share a room with a stranger and it would be up to luck how well you get on.

Dutch temporary employment agencies always try to accommodate couples and friends together.

3 situations where it's not a good idea to go to work in the Netherlands with a friend or your other half

As much fun as it can be to go to work in the Netherlands with someone you know well, in some cases it can reduce your chances of getting a job or affect your social life there.

1. Less opportunities to meet new people

Coming to work in the Netherlands on your own is more likely to meet new people and make friends than coming with a friend. As workers tend to arrive alone, they are more likely to socialize with each other as it makes work more fun and helps with the household. Arriving alone will help you get to know a new country quicker and improve your foreign language skills because you will be forced to communicate. Workers who arrive together, whether as a couple or as two friends, tend to interact mainly with each other, so they have fewer opportunities to meet new people and improve their foreign language skills.

2. Reduced flexibility of the worker

Workers who arrive together usually want to work together as well as live together. However, this is not always the case, as there are often differences in experience or English language skills. It is also difficult for an agency to offer work that both workers like and do equally well. There are cases where the agency offers to live together but to do different jobs, and the workers who arrive together have to decide whether to accept the offer or to look for another agency. Therefore, when deciding to go abroad to work together, it is important to consider different situations in advance and to be flexible.

3. Mismatch between the desires and capabilities of the co-located workers

Each worker has different expectations of working and living abroad. For example, one worker wants to work and earn as much as possible, while a friend who is travelling with him/her wants to work less, but wants to get to know the country better and travel. Or one of the friends who comes with you is doing well and gets more hours, while the other is slower and less satisfied with the employer and gives less hours. So before deciding whether to work abroad on your own or with a friend, assess your work opportunities and see if your wishes and expectations for working abroad match.

Working in the Netherlands: offers for couples and co-workers

There are many job offers in the Netherlands, which we regularly make available to workers who want to move away together.

Jobs in the food manufacturing industry

Jobs in the food manufacturing industry do not require any special experience or skills, so they are ideal for friends or couples who want to work together. These jobs could be as a production line operator in a vegetable factory or as a bakery worker. Based on the feedback from expatriate workers and the length of time they have been working in the Netherlands, couples or friends who have moved in together are satisfied with these jobs.

Working in logistics centers

Many of the logistics centers that Robin Agency works with have a number of jobs open at the same time, so it is possible to offer a job to a couple or a few friends. However, please be aware that the nature of the work may vary due to the different levels of experience or English language level of the workers. So you may be working in the same logistics centre doing different jobs, or working in different departments or shifts.

Many couples and friends who have moved away together work as plant warehouse workers.

Work in the construction sector

Having the same job skills and similar work experience makes it easier to get a job together. For example in the construction sector, working in teams is an advantage. Many friends with the same profession have found jobs in the Netherlands as electricians, plumbers or plasterboard wall installers. When travelling to the Netherlands, it is a good idea for several skilled professionals to have their own vehicle. This is not only convenient for the workers, but also for the employer, who will be quicker to offer a job to the whole team of workers coming together. Because not all temporary employment agencies in the construction sector are able to provide a vehicle for their employees.

Short-term projects

Many short-term projects are a great opportunity for couples or friends to work in the Netherlands. In November, a few weeks before Black Friday, preparations for the festive period begin. This is when extra labour is desperately needed in the garment warehouses or food industry. The need for short-term workers also increases before Easter. These jobs last from a few weeks to a few months and are a great opportunity to try your hand at working abroad and to see what it’s like to work away with your other half, a friend or a family member.

Summary

Going to work in the Netherlands with a friend or your other half can be a great opportunity to gain invaluable experience and enjoy a number of benefits. You will share a room and, if one of you does not speak English, the other will be able to help with translation.

However, if you are not travelling to the Netherlands alone, you should be flexible about where you work and where you live. If you are not flexible, it will be difficult for the temporary employment agency to offer you conditions that are equally satisfactory for the workers who arrive together.

In most cases, the recruitment agency will give the same place of residence to a couple or friends who have arrived together, but will offer them jobs in different workplaces. In cases where the work is short-term or in the construction sector, the chances of working and living together are very high. So before you decide to work in the Netherlands for more than one person, consider all your options and think about how flexible you can be in different situations.

FAQs on working in the Netherlands for couples and co-workers

Is it possible for a couple to live together when they go to work?

Yes, many temporary employment agencies in the Netherlands put couples who arrive together in the same room.

Is it possible for a couple to work in the same company when they leave?

Sometimes this is possible, especially if the work is short-term. However, many companies find it difficult to offer the same job to a couple because of the different nature of the work, the skills available or the level of English. So the chances of you working together are slim. Couples are usually placed together but work in different jobs or even in different workplaces.

Is it possible to bring a child and live together in an agency accommodation in the Netherlands?

No, the temporary employment agencies that Robin works with do not accommodate children. If you are considering moving to the Netherlands with a child, we suggest that you find your own accommodation first and then bring your child.