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logologologo
  • Redundancy & outplacement
    • Your outplacement budget (VSO)
    • Common questions
  • Career Coaching
    • Personal Development
    • Common questions
  • Mental Wellbeing
    • Burnout Support
  • For organisations
    • Outplacement voor internationale medewerkers
    • UWV Werkfit maken
  • Events
    • Job Fairs & Career Events in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam & Utrecht
    • Job Fairs & Career Events in North, East & South Netherlands
    • The IamExpat Fair: dates, venues and how to prepare
      • IamExpat Fair Eindhoven 2026
      • IamExpat Fair The Hague 2026
      • IamExpat Fair Amsterdam 2027
  • About
    • How I work
    • Testimonials
    • Social Impact
    • Blog
    • Contact
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Book free introductory call

  • Redundancy & outplacement
    • Your outplacement budget (VSO)
    • Common questions
  • Career Coaching
    • Personal Development
    • Common questions
  • Mental Wellbeing
    • Burnout Support
  • For organisations
    • Outplacement voor internationale medewerkers
    • UWV Werkfit maken
  • Events
    • Job Fairs & Career Events in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam & Utrecht
    • Job Fairs & Career Events in North, East & South Netherlands
    • The IamExpat Fair: dates, venues and how to prepare
      • IamExpat Fair Eindhoven 2026
      • IamExpat Fair The Hague 2026
      • IamExpat Fair Amsterdam 2027
  • About
    • How I work
    • Testimonials
    • Social Impact
    • Blog
    • Contact
    • Pricing

Job Fairs & Career Events in North, East & South Netherlands

by adminAugust 28, 2026 Career Coaching0 comments

Last updated: 28 August 2026. Career events in Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland, Flevoland, Noord-Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland where you can meet employers in person, plus the national ones. Everything below is checked on the organiser's own event page. Based in the Randstad? See expat-friendly job fairs and career events in the Randstad.

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September 2026

  • 3 September — Banenmarkt Emmen, Marktplein, Emmen, 11:00–17:00. Dutch. Free, walk in. Who it's for: Anyone looking for work in southeast Drenthe. Outdoors on the market square. The region has a structural shortage of technical and care staff, so employers here are noticeably more open to a foreign CV than in the Randstad.
  • 3 September — Werkcafé Festival Maashorst, IBN Uden (Hockeyweg 5), 13:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Jobseekers in the Maashorst municipalities. A festival format, so the conversations with employers are informal. Only findable through the werkcentrum agenda.
  • 8 September — Jij naar de zorg, Boulevard Heuvelink 4, Arnhem, 12:30–15:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: People considering a move into care. Employers from the Arnhem region explain the entry routes.
  • 8 September — Coffee hour on care training at GGz Breburg, Jan Wierhof 7, Tilburg, 16:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone interested in a mental health care qualification. One-to-one coffee with a practice trainer, at their own site. About as small and personal as a company visit gets. Repeats 3 November and 15 December.
  • 10 September — Thebe open morning, Thebe Don Sarto (Don Sartostraat 66), Tilburg, 09:00–12:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: People with a non-standard CV who are curious about care work. One care organisation opens the door: walk in, look around, talk to staff, no application needed.
  • 15 September — Information session at Fokus Wonen, Eindhoven area, 10:30–12:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: No experience required. One employer explaining what the work involves and which roles are open. Repeats 14 October and 12 November.
  • 15 September — Jij naar zorg, UWV Nijmegen (Nieuwe Dukenburgseweg 21a), 13:30–16:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Care employers from the Nijmegen region explaining entry routes. If you have the language, care is one of the fastest routes to a permanent contract.
  • 15 September — Jobshop: talk to several recruitment agencies, UWV Tilburg (Burg. Brokxlaan 1680), 09:00–12:00. Dutch. Free, no registration. Who it's for: Anyone open to temp and contract work. A different pair of agencies every fortnight; the series now runs through to February 2027 (15 and 29 September, 13 and 27 October, 10 and 24 November, 8 and 22 December, 5 and 19 January, 2 and 16 February).
  • 17 September — Meet & greet with Icare: care assistant, Zwolle region, 14:30–16:30. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Career changers and returners. One employer receiving people interested in one specific role — no fair around it.
  • 22 September — Discover your chances in construction and engineering, Streekweg 22, Nijmegen, 15:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone considering the trades. A monthly drop-in built specifically to put you in front of regional employers. The sector urgently needs people.
  • 24 September — JobOlympics job fair, Sportcentrum Valkenhuizen (Beukenlaan), Arnhem, 14:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Jobseekers and employers from Arnhem, Zevenaar, Lingewaard and around. Second edition, with career orientation in game form.
  • 24 September — Open Bedrijvenmarkt Zwolle, Makersfabriek, Zwolle, 11:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone in the Zwolle region. Companies introduce themselves and invite visitors for a deeper visit afterwards.
  • 29 September — Meet & greet with unrecognised talent, Harm Buiterplein 1, Groningen, 14:00–16:30. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Explicitly for people whose talent doesn't show up on paper — including those with foreign diplomas. Employers come to meet candidates on a non-standard route.
  • 29 September — Is care and welfare right for you?, Eindhoven area, 09:00–13:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Career changers. Repeats 1 October, 13:00–17:00.
  • 30 September — Banenmarkt De Kempen, Bladel, 14:30–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone in the Kempen, just south of Eindhoven. Small regional fair, but the area borders Brainport and many manufacturers have international teams.

October 2026

  • 1 October — 'Scoor je match' job fair, Atik Stadion, Roosendaal, 13:30–16:30. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Jobseekers around Roosendaal and Bergen op Zoom. This is the warm-up for Kijk Binnen Bij Bedrijven: meet employers here first, then arrange a company visit the following week if there's mutual interest. That two-step setup is unusual and works well if your CV needs explaining.
  • 3 October — IamExpat Fair Eindhoven, Klokgebouw, 10:00–17:00. English. Free with online registration. Who it's for: Internationals living in or moving to the Netherlands, and their partners. Second Eindhoven edition, this year with a bigger careers section including Brainport and recruitment agency Undutchables, two international centres, and extra services for accompanying partners. Almost every exhibitor hires internationals.
  • 3 October — Dag van de Techniek Dongen, HeuvelPark (Heuvelstraat 5), 10:00–15:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone curious about engineering and technology. Companies from Midden-Brabant show what they do and who they're looking for. Visual and practical.
  • 5 October — Introduction programme: care and welfare at Yonder, Wandelboslaan 28, Tilburg, 14:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Office workers thinking about moving into care. On location at the employer.
  • 7 October — Banenbeurs Stadskanaal, Geert Teis Theater, 13:00–16:30. Dutch. Free, no registration. Who it's for: Anyone ready for a new job in East Groningen. Employers across engineering, industry, care and business services, plus training providers. Part of a two-day block of job fairs in East Groningen (7 and 8 October).
  • 8 October — StartFest Assen, Assen, 10:00–17:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Starters, career changers and returners in North Drenthe. A full day about getting into work and developing, run with Werkplein Drentsche Aa.
  • 9 October — Discover your future in care, Werkcentrum Tilburg (Burg. Brokxlaan 1680), 10:00–12:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone weighing up care work, with regional care employers present.
  • 10 October — Dag van de Techniek Oisterwijk, 2College Durendael (Van Kemenadelaan 5), 10:00–14:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Same format as Dongen: engineering companies showing their work and speaking to visitors in person.
  • 10–16 October — Kijk Binnen Bij Bedrijven, West-Brabant. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone, at any level. For a week, more than a hundred West Brabant companies receive visitors for a tour, a presentation or a one-to-one conversation. Explicitly not CV-driven — the employer decides who they receive and when. The 2025 edition had 114 companies and 1,500 visitors.
  • 15 October — Yonder Safety Day: police, defence and enforcement, Gershwinstraat 10, Tilburg, 14:00–19:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone considering public safety work. Note that these employers usually require Dutch nationality or a minimum period of residence — check before you go.
  • 29 October — Ontdekdezorg meet & greet, Buurthuis Bloemenoord, Waalwijk, 16:00–18:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Care employers here are explicitly looking for people who have never worked in care. No experience needed.
  • 29 October — Brabant zoekt Talent Festival, Eindhoven area, 15:00–19:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: The biggest labour-market event Werkcentrum Zuidoost-Brabant runs: employers, training providers and jobseekers together. Brainport employers are well represented and many of them also recruit in English.

November 2026

  • 3–5 November — Banenmarkt Zeeland at Contacta, Goes. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Jobseekers, career changers and retrainers in Zeeland. A regional recruitment platform inside the Contacta trade fair. Most useful for technical profiles or if you have Dutch.
  • 5 November — Banenmarkt Dongen, De Cammeleur (Hoge Ham 126), 10:00–12:00. Dutch. Free, walk in. Who it's for: Anyone in Midden-Brabant. A compact morning fair; the region runs these several times a year at rotating locations.
  • 7 November — Open Bedrijvendag Emmen, Emmen, 10:00–16:00. Dutch. Free, no invitation or CV needed. Who it's for: Anyone in the north. You walk in and talk to employees rather than recruiters, which is a very different conversation. The tight northern labour market makes employers here more open to English speakers.
  • 18 November — Nationale Werkbezoekdag, nationwide. English and Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Everyone, at any level. Hundreds of organisations across the country open their doors on one day for a conversation or an open house, and you choose which one you visit. The 2025 edition had 260 employers and over 1,000 meetings. There's an English page. This is the purest form of "companies opening their doors" the Netherlands has.
  • 19 November — Werkfestival Steenwijk, Rabo Theater De Meenthe. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone in the Zwolle and Steenwijkerland region. A full day set up so you can speak to a large number of companies in one go.
  • 24–25 November — Nijmegen Career Event, Nijmegen. Partly English. Free. Who it's for: Students and recent graduates from Radboud, all disciplines. Companies recruiting early-career talent in the Nijmegen region.

January 2027

  • 26 January — Coffee and introductions at Mijzo, Dongepark 1, Dongen, 17:00–18:00. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone considering a paid work-and-learn qualification in care. Mijzo sets aside an hour at its own site every two months; further dates are 2 March, 6 April, 18 May, 15 June and 6 July 2027.

February 2027

  • 8–13 February — Ontdekdezorg Week, nationwide. Dutch. Free. Who it's for: Anyone orienting towards care and welfare. A national week of open days and shadowing sessions. Dutch is almost always required in care.

In-house days: one company, a small group, no fixed date

An in-house day is one employer receiving a small group for a tour, a case, a presentation and drinks. There's far less competition than at a fair, and you meet the hiring managers themselves. Most are aimed at nought to four years' experience, and most sit in the Randstad — but they're worth the train fare.

Currently open without a fixed date, via Magnet.me: Houthoff, the AFM, A&O Shearman, Norton Rose Fulbright, Flatpay, Deloitte (Women in Finance Transformation, Rotterdam), Elevation Group ('s-Hertogenbosch and Amsterdam) and Young Colfield. Stibbe has just published four practice days with fixed dates for spring 2027. Study associations run their own programme through STEP, mostly in finance, consulting and professional services.

Meetups held at an employer's office

A quieter route into the same buildings: technical meetups hosted in a company's own office, in English, free, with food from the host. Nobody is assessing you, and the engineering leadership is in the room. The two most consistent groups are both in Amsterdam and rotate to a different company every month.

  • 3 September — Amsterdam JUG at BeFrank, De Entree 99-197, doors and food at 17:00. Host: BeFrank (pension provider).
  • 7 September — Amsterdam JUG at IBM, Johan Huizingalaan 765, 18:00–21:00. Host: IBM, with speakers from Confluent and AWS.
  • 29 September — AI Native Netherlands at Studytube, Danzigerkade 17, 18:00–21:00. Host: Studytube.
  • 27 October — AI Native Netherlands at AWS, Mr. Treublaan 7, 18:00–21:00. Host: AWS, with a speaker from Mirantis.

Worth following even when this month's host isn't your target: Amsterdam JUG and AI Native Netherlands.

Communities that meet regularly

  • Holland Expat Center South — the fullest English-language events calendar outside the Randstad, covering Eindhoven and the Brainport region.
  • Breda Internationals and Tilburg International Club — two small, active international communities in West and Central Brabant. Low visibility online, which is exactly why you stand out in them.
  • Expat Centre Maastricht Region — recurring sessions where internationals sit down directly with regional recruiters. South Limburg has its own labour market, including across the border towards Aachen and Liège.
  • International Welcome Center North — the non-profit welcome centre for the northern Netherlands: practical matters plus social and informative events.

Announced, dates still to come

  • Business Days Twente Career Fair — February 2027, Enschede. One of the largest student career fairs in the east: 160+ companies on the University of Twente campus, mostly technology, engineering and business. Accessible in English. (2026 edition: 18–19 February.)

Spring — already worth your calendar

  • Open Bedrijvenfestival Zwolle — 4 March 2027, 11:00–17:30, free and no registration. Employers from engineering, hospitality, care, logistics, facilities and government, all with open vacancies.
  • THE Northern Job Fair — 5–6 March 2027, Martiniplaza, Groningen. 150+ northern employers plus retraining options, with an English-language track that makes it usable for internationals. Registration opens earlier.
  • Open Bedrijvenfestival Emmeloord — 25 March 2027, 11:00–17:30, free including a drink, no registration. Jobs and placements in the Noordoostpolder.
  • Open Bedrijvendag Doetinchem — late March 2027, Achterhoek. The region has a strong manufacturing base with stubborn technical vacancies; employers compete hard for people here. (2026 edition: 25–28 March.)
  • Open Bedrijven Dag Kempen & Peel — late March 2027, 10:00–16:00. Around 60 companies south of Eindhoven open their doors, explicitly including for career changers. (2026 edition: 28 March.)
  • Open Bedrijvenfestival Meppel — 15 April 2027, 11:00–17:00, free and no registration. Note that search engines keep listing a September 2026 date for Meppel; the werkcentrum's own agenda does not.

Two things worth knowing

The small events beat the big ones. A fair with 300 employers gives you two minutes each and a stack of business cards. One company opening its door for a morning gives you a real conversation with the people who decide. If you only do one thing this autumn, make it a company open morning or an in-house day, not a fair.

Dutch-language events are not closed to you. Almost everything in this region runs in Dutch, and internationals skip it for that reason. But open mornings, company visits and hands-on days lean far less on language than a conversation across a stand does — and outside the Randstad, employers are noticeably more open to a CV that doesn't look standard, simply because they cannot fill their vacancies.

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Job Fairs & Career Events in Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam & Utrecht

by adminAugust 14, 2026 Career Coaching0 comments

Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht host most of the country's English-language career events — but the useful ones are scattered across university calendars, expat centres and industry organisers that never appear in the same place. Below is everything running in the west of the Netherlands between now and February, updated weekly.

For each event you'll find who it's actually for and which language you'll need. That second point decides whether a Saturday is worth the train fare. Looking elsewhere in the country? See our companion guide to career events in the North, East and South of the Netherlands.

Last updated: 14 August 2026.

September 2026

  • Wereldhavendagen (World Port Days) — 4–6 September, Rotterdam · Dutch · free
    Around 150 port companies open their terminals, ships and energy-transition projects to the public.
    Who it's for: anyone curious about logistics, offshore energy, engineering or port IT. Dutch-language but highly visual, and the port hires internationals across all four.
  • Critical Minds — in-house day — 4 September, 12:00, Kamerik · Dutch/English · free, apply in advance
    Who it's for: HBO or WO backgrounds with up to six years' experience, interested in management consulting. A small consultancy hosting a small group — you'll speak to the people who actually decide on hiring, which almost never happens at a fair.
  • Cybersec Netherlands — 9–10 September, Jaarbeurs Utrecht · English & Dutch · free with registration
    Who it's for: CISOs, security engineers, SOC analysts and IT consultants from mid-level up. Not a job fair — you get in through the content, not through a CV drop. It's the densest concentration of Dutch security employers all year.
  • IBC — 11–14 September, RAI Amsterdam · English · paid
    Who it's for: engineers, product specialists and commercial roles in media, broadcast and streaming technology. Largely English-speaking exhibitors, many of them recognised IND sponsors.
  • Baan met Toekomst — orientation morning — 16 September, Amsterdam · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: career changers looking at construction, energy and green sectors. Dutch-language, but the energy transition around Amsterdam is creating project-management and engineering roles well above entry level.
  • DigiMarCon Amsterdam and TECHSPO Amsterdam — 17–18 September, Johan Cruijff ArenA · English · paid
    Who it's for: mid to senior marketing, data and product professionals. Two co-located events; networking rather than recruiting, so you become visible through conversations, not applications.
  • HumanX EMEA — 22–24 September, RAI Amsterdam · English · paid
    Who it's for: senior AI and data professionals, plus HR leaders working on AI transition. An AI conference with an explicit focus on work and the labour market.
  • New Era Consultancy — in-house day — 25 September, 12:00, Amsterdam · Dutch/English · free, apply in advance
    Who it's for: HBO or WO backgrounds with up to four years' experience in marketing and communication. A 25-person agency, so the group is small and the conversations are direct.
  • ESA ESTEC Open Days — 26–27 September, Noordwijk · English · free, tickets go fast
    Who it's for: engineers, scientists and software professionals. The European Space Agency's largest technical centre opens its labs once a year. English is the working language and the surrounding NL Space cluster recruits internationally — one of the most genuinely international workplaces in the country.
  • Banen- & Stagemarkt World Horti Center — 29 September, Naaldwijk · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: technical and agri-tech backgrounds. Organised with the municipality of Westland and UWV. Dutch horticulture is a high-tech sector that hires far more broadly than people expect — data, robotics, logistics and international trade, not just growing.

October 2026

  • Wetenschapsdag Amsterdam Science Park — 3 October, Amsterdam · English & Dutch · free
    Who it's for: researchers, engineers and software professionals. AMOLF, ARCNL, CWI, Nikhef and the UvA science faculty open their doors. These institutes recruit internationally, and the park hosts a growing deep-tech start-up cluster.
  • World Summit AI — 7–8 October, Taets Amsterdam · English · paid
    Who it's for: senior AI and data professionals. Real hiring conversations happen in the partner lounges. Not aimed at entry level.
  • Dutch Medicines Days — 7–8 October, Leiden · English · paid
    Who it's for: regulatory, clinical and R&D professionals in pharma and biotech. Employers at Leiden Bio Science Park are predominantly English-speaking and recognised IND sponsors.
  • Leer & Werk event Nieuw-West — 8 October, Amsterdam · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: residents of Amsterdam West looking for local employers. Neighbourhood-scale and low-threshold.
  • Werken in Zorg en Welzijn — 20 October, UWV Delflandlaan Amsterdam · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: career changers exploring healthcare and social care. Amsterdam's care sector actively takes on people switching in, including those with healthcare qualifications from abroad.
  • Cyber Security & Cloud Expo Europe — 20–21 October, RAI Amsterdam · English · free expo entry
    Who it's for: cloud and security professionals at any level. Free entry makes this the lowest-effort networking day of the autumn for IT profiles.
  • Week of Transport and Logistics — 26–30 October, Greater Amsterdam · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: anyone considering logistics. Five days of company visits across the sector, with immediate openings because of persistent vacancies. It's one of the sectors internationals move into fastest.
  • Amsterdam Tech Job Fair — 30 October, Amsterdam, 18:00–21:00 · English · free with registration
    Who it's for: tech, sales and marketing professionals at any level, with CV conversations on the spot. Two focused evening hours here often produces more than a full day at a large fair.

November 2026

  • Emerce eDay — 5 November, Kromhouthal Amsterdam · Dutch · paid
    Who it's for: digital, e-commerce and product professionals. Dutch-speaking crowd, but plenty of international scale-ups in the room who hire in English.
  • IamExpat Fair The Hague — 7 November, Grote Kerk · English · free with registration
    Who it's for: internationals across the Randstad and their partners. Recruiters, career coaches and workshops in one day, alongside every practical expat service. The Hague edition attracts noticeably more international organisations and NGOs than the other cities.
  • Nationale Werkbezoekdag (National Company Visit Day) — 18 November, nationwide · Dutch, with an English sign-up page · free
    Who it's for: everyone. Hundreds of professionals and organisations open their doors for a networking conversation or an open day, and you choose which one to visit. The 2025 edition drew 260 employers and over a thousand meetings. This is the purest version of "companies opening their doors to future employees" that exists in the Netherlands.
  • Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference — 23–25 November, RAI Amsterdam · English · paid
    Who it's for: engineers, supply-chain and project professionals in offshore wind and oil & gas. Fully English-speaking sector with structural shortages.
  • DMWF Europe — 24–25 November, RAI Amsterdam · English · paid
    Who it's for: senior digital marketing leaders, martech and data specialists.

December 2026 – February 2027

  • Erasmus Recruitment Days — 28 January – 13 February 2027, Rotterdam · English · ticketed
    Who it's for: anyone looking for their first job after graduating, especially in finance, consulting and business. The largest on-campus recruitment event in Europe, with over a hundred employers including PwC, Rabobank, Shell and Amazon. Registration opens well before January — worth putting in your calendar now.
  • Ontdekdezorg Week — 8–13 February 2027, nationwide · Dutch · free
    Who it's for: career changers exploring healthcare. A national week of open days and taster sessions, designed for orientation — so it works even if you're still deciding. Dutch is almost always required in this sector.

In-house days: one company, a small group, no fixed date

An in-house day is a single employer hosting a handful of people for a tour, a case, a presentation by senior management and drinks afterwards. Places are limited and you usually apply in advance, which makes it an informal first interview rather than a walk-in. These run several times a year and you can register at any point:

  • A&O Shearman Experience — Amsterdam · WO · legal. One of the largest international law firms in the country, 350 staff in Amsterdam.
  • Autoriteit Financiële Markten in-house day — Amsterdam · HBO or WO · finance and regulation. The Dutch financial markets regulator, 700 staff.
  • Houthoff in-house day and Notariële koffie (Amsterdam) or Rotterdam — WO · legal and notarial.
  • Young Colfield — Talent Program in-house day — Amsterdam · HBO or WO · management consulting.

A note on level: most in-house days are aimed at students and professionals with nought to four years' experience, and the majority are in Amsterdam. If you're further along in your career, the job fairs and industry conferences above will serve you better.

The unofficial version: meetups hosted at company offices

There's a second route into a company's building that nobody advertises as a career event. A large share of the tech, data, product and design meetups in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague are hosted in the offices of the employers themselves — an evening talk at a scale-up, a workshop at a bank's innovation lab, a user group at a software company.

For an international this is arguably better than a job fair. It's in English by default, because that's the working language of these teams. You talk to the engineers and product people who do the work, not to a recruiter running through a script. And you're in the building, which tells you more about whether you'd want to work there than any careers page will. Nobody is assessing you, so the pressure is off — but the person you spoke to over a beer is exactly who a hiring manager asks when a vacancy opens.

Coming up:

  • Amsterdam JUG at Backbase — 27 August, 18:00–21:00, Oosterdoksstraat 114 Amsterdam · English · free
    Who it's for: Java and backend engineers. Two panel discussions on AI and software security, with speakers from Backbase, Picnic, Uber, Rabobank, Albert Heijn, Oracle, Xebia and Axual — then drinks. That's eight employers' engineering leadership in one room, and none of them are there to screen you.
  • Amsterdam JUG at BeFrank — 3 September, 17:00–19:30, De Entree 99-197 Amsterdam · English · free
    Who it's for: Java and backend engineers. Three talks on technical debt, Temporal workflows and AI tooling, hosted at the pension provider BeFrank. Food from 17:00.

These run roughly monthly and rotate between host companies, so the venue changes each time. To find more: search Meetup for your field in your city and look at the venue rather than the title. If the address is a company office, it's worth going. Free, informal, usually a weekday evening.

Announced, dates still to come

These run every year in this region and the organisers publish the new date closer to the day. Worth bookmarking:

  • TU Delft YourCareer Week — November 2026, Delft · English. Career fair plus workshops for students and recent graduates in engineering. TU Delft teaches its master's programmes entirely in English, so internationals are the norm here rather than the exception.
  • Logistica Next + ICT & Logistiek — November 2026, Jaarbeurs Utrecht · Dutch. Operations and IT leaders in Benelux logistics; shows the roles beyond the warehouse floor.
  • Banenmarkt Utrecht — February 2027, Utrecht · Dutch. The annual municipal job fair with regional employers.
  • Delft Career Days — Orientation Days — February 2027, Delft · English. Over 150 companies, aimed at technical students and starters.

Already worth your calendar: spring 2027

  • IamExpat Fair Amsterdam — March 2027, Beurs van Berlage. The largest expat fair in the country.
  • Amsterdam Career Days — early March 2027. Five days for students and young professionals in finance, consulting and business, with informal dinners and lunches as the networking format.
  • International Talent Event Amsterdam — April 2027. City-wide employer showcase for international students and starters, with workshops and one-to-one coaching.
  • Nationale Carrièrebeurs — April 2027, RAI Amsterdam. 300+ employers across all sectors, with a Match&Meet system to book conversations in advance.

Two things that make the difference on the day

Pick your companies before you go. Look at the exhibitor list, check their careers page, and know which two or three roles you want to discuss. A recruiter can tell within thirty seconds whether you've done this, and it changes the entire conversation.

At an open company day nobody expects you to be job hunting — which is exactly why it works. Ask employees what their week actually looks like, take a card, and follow up on LinkedIn the same evening. The follow-up is where the value is; the visit is just the reason to send it.

Wondering which of these fits your situation, or how to approach the employers you'll meet there? Orange Expats helps international professionals build a career in the Netherlands. Book a free introductory call.

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Volunteering for Expats in the Netherlands: A guide to professional growth and networking

by adminMarch 18, 2025 Career Coaching, Career planning0 comments

Volunteering is not just about giving back to the community; it also presents a unique opportunity for expats in the Netherlands to develop professional skills, expand their network, and gain a deeper understanding of the local culture.

For highly skilled expats, strategic volunteering can be a valuable stepping stone both personally and professionally.

 

Why consider volunteering?

Volunteering offers numerous benefits for expats:

 

    • Networking opportunities: Connect with professionals from various industries and expand your career prospects.
    • Local work experience: Gain relevant experience in the Dutch labour market to strengthen your CV.
    • Personal development: Learn new skills and enhance existing competencies through hands-on experience.
    • Cultural integration: Immerse yourself in Dutch society and workplace ethics.

 

 

Top volunteering platforms for Expats in the Netherlands

Here are some of the best platforms for expats looking to volunteer in the Netherlands:

 

1. NL Voor Elkaar

NL Voor Elkaar is a nationwide platform offering diverse volunteering opportunities in education, healthcare, and sustainability. Expats can easily filter opportunities based on their interests and location.

 

2. Volunteer Centre Amsterdam (VCA)

VCA is an ideal platform for expats in Amsterdam seeking volunteer roles. It provides both short-term and long-term projects, with options where English is the main language.

 

3. Volunteering.nl

Volunteering.nl serves as a central hub for expats looking to get involved in volunteering. The platform provides information on how to find and apply for various initiatives across the Netherlands.

 

4. Netherlands Red Cross

Netherlands Red Cross offers opportunities for expats to contribute to humanitarian aid, healthcare initiatives, and social programmes. It’s a great way to make a real difference in communities across the country.

 

5. Cultural & Heritage Volunteering

Erfgoed Vrijwilliger connects expats with volunteering roles in cultural and heritage institutions, such as museums and historical sites. This is an excellent opportunity for those passionate about history and the arts.

 

6. NL Cares

NL Cares provides flexible volunteering opportunities in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. Their focus is on connecting volunteers with vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, and people experiencing homelessness. This is an excellent option for expats with busy schedules who still want to make an impact.

 

7. Refugee Work Netherlands

VluchtelingenWerk Nederland supports refugees in the Netherlands with legal assistance, language courses, and integration programmes. Expats can volunteer to help refugees with job applications, housing, and adapting to Dutch society, offering both personal fulfilment and valuable networking opportunities.

 

How to choose the right volunteering role?

As an expat, it’s important to find a volunteering opportunity that aligns with your professional goals and personal interests. Consider asking yourself:

 

    • Do I want to gain relevant work experience in my industry?
    • Am I looking to develop soft skills such as leadership and communication?
    • How much time can I commit to volunteering?
    • Do I want to expand my professional network within a specific sector?

 

 

Volunteering as a career strategy

For many expats, volunteering can serve as a pathway to securing paid employment in the Netherlands. Dutch employers value candidates with local experience, proactive attitudes, and strong networking skills. By volunteering, you demonstrate adaptability, initiative, and community engagement – all highly sought-after qualities in the job market.

 

How Orange Expats can help

At Orange Expats, we assist international professionals in navigating their careers in the Netherlands. Volunteering can be a powerful tool in career planning, helping you build experience, grow your network, and boost your employability. I can help you identify volunteering opportunities that align with your professional goals and enhance your chances in the Dutch job market.

Want to learn more about leveraging volunteering for career success? Book a free introductory call.

 


This blog is regularly updated with new volunteering opportunities and insights. Do you have suggestions or experiences to share? Let me know!

 

 

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