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Living in the Netherlands

Welcome to the Netherlands. Living in a new country can be exciting, daunting and so much more. There is Dutch culture, and norms to understand; a language to learn and a country to discover. There will be the challenge of becoming familiar with the unfamiliar and making this, your home. Besides the practicalities of housing, schooling, working and going through the formalities, there are also the everyday aspects of making your life here. Beyond the practicalities there is also: your life in the Netherlands. This will take time, but is equally important to the settlement process. There are many expat, international clubs and associations to join. There you can meet people with whom you have a shared experience or language. There you will find other answers to the questions you have and make friends. We would encourage you though, after the initial settling in period, to also reach out to neighbours, join a local sports club, and become involved in your local community. For this, too, will be a way of understanding and appreciating your host country. And, take a moment to learn a few Dutch phrases – it too will help.

In this section you will be able to find some guidelines to everyday life in the Netherlands.

Childcare: childcare available in the Netherlands (such as day-care centres, nannies and babysitters) and the costs associated with such services. Includes links to childcare allowance regulations and their descriptions.

Dutch life and culture: an outline of the most important things in Dutch etiquette, about Dutch traditions, public holidays and a list of non-Dutch online resources, to stay updated about local events and news.

Expats groups and clubs: groups and organisations (i.e. sport teams, artistic clubs, expat associations and language courses) which you could join and also get to know how to build a social life and establish a network.

Mobile and postal services: how to make international calls cheaper, how to use your mobile sim-card efficiently in two countries or how to find your nearest post office.

Additional information about Brexit can also be found on these pages.

Trying to figure out what to do with the family? children? Not sure how to navigate how local mobile/cell services work? If the answers are not on this website, do not hesitate to reach out and ask the ACCESS Helpdesk. We can help you find the answers you need and point you in the right direction.