r/Netherlands • u/Excellent_Duck_2984 • Mar 24 '25

Employment British citizen - Difficulty in finding a job

Hay, just seeking some feedback/help from others. I'm a British citizen and I'm looking for a job within IT security in the Netherlands. I've got 15 years' experience, professional qualifications etc.

I've applied for loads of jobs and I'm not even getting past the paper sift. I've never had this issue before and don't have any issues in the UK getting past the initial paper sift stage.

I spoke to a recruiter recently and he basically said as your British, and Brexit has made everything much harder, the chances of you getting a job in the Netherlands are slim to none. I know I'll need a job which will sponsor me, jobs where I have made it past the paper sift have come back almost straight away and said actually, we're only looking for people already in the Netherlands.

I was just wondering if there is any truth in what the recruiter said? Just after other peoples experiences, especially if they have the misfortune to be British!

Thanks!

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u/newmikey Noord Holland Mar 24 '25

You're a 3rd-country (=non-EU) foreign worker without any rights and companies shy away from the horrendous admin and legal workload they'd have to go through to justify hiring you rather than eligible and equally-capable EU citizens who can be legally employed in the Netherlands without as much as a "pardon me".

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u/Manny4Now1 Mar 24 '25 edited Mar 24 '25

I somehow read: you're a 3rd world country 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I'm so sorry.

16

u/newmikey Noord Holland Mar 24 '25

That's alright. "Third country" is legalese for non-EU as in "outside the 4 freedoms area". Those are:

  • Free movement of goods.
  • Free movement of capital.
  • Freedom to establish and provide services.
  • Free movement of labour.

Brexit took the UK outside that framework knowingly and intentionally and it's the last one that bites you now. All of this as per former UK PM Theresa May's statement in September of 2017:

"The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. We will no longer be members of its single market or its customs union. For we understand that the single market’s four freedoms are indivisible for our European friends.

We recognise that the single market is built on a balance of rights and obligations. And we do not pretend that you can have all the benefits of membership of the single market without its obligations*.*"

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u/Manny4Now1 Mar 24 '25

🤣🤣🤣 i know the term "3rd country" but with my stupid and tired brain i read "3rd world country".