The Netherlands is one of Europe’s best destinations for skilled professionals. It has a strong job market in tech, finance and engineering, English is widely used at work, and the country has a clear route for foreign talent: the highly skilled migrant permit. The catch is that you cannot apply for this permit yourself. Your employer has to do it, and only companies recognised by the Dutch immigration service (IND) as sponsors can.
Below are 15 well-known companies in the Netherlands with a track record of hiring international talent and sponsoring visas, grouped by sector, with the career page where you can apply directly.
Tech
1. Booking.com (jobs.booking.com) Headquartered in Amsterdam, Booking.com is one of the largest online travel companies in the world. It hires software engineers, data scientists, product managers and designers from all over the world, and international hiring is a normal part of how it operates.
2. Adyen (careers.adyen.com) The Amsterdam-based payments company serves global brands and is known for a highly international workforce. It recruits engineers, data specialists, risk and compliance professionals, and more.
3. Uber (uber.com/careers) Uber has a major European presence in Amsterdam. Look for roles in engineering, operations, finance and product.
4. Miro (miro.com/careers) The online collaboration platform has an Amsterdam hub and hires across engineering, design, product and go-to-market teams.
5. TomTom (tomtom.com/careers) The location technology and mapping company is based in Amsterdam. It hires software engineers, data and map specialists, and product professionals.
6. Picnic (picnic.app/careers) The fast-growing online supermarket builds its own technology and logistics systems, so it looks for software engineers, data scientists, analysts and supply chain experts.
7. Stripe (stripe.com/jobs) The global payments infrastructure company has an Amsterdam presence and hires in engineering, sales, operations and other functions.
Finance and Trading
8. ING (careers.ing.com) One of the largest banks in Europe, ING is headquartered in Amsterdam. Beyond banking roles, it hires heavily in technology, data, risk and compliance.
9. Optiver (optiver.com) A leading market maker based in Amsterdam. It recruits traders, quantitative researchers and software engineers, often from top universities worldwide.
10. IMC Trading (imc.com) Another major Amsterdam-based trading firm, with openings for traders, quants and technologists.
11. Flow Traders (flowtraders.com) An Amsterdam-headquartered electronic trading firm specialising in exchange-traded products. It hires traders, developers and quantitative analysts.
Engineering, Health and Energy
12. ASML (asml.com/careers) Based in Veldhoven, ASML makes the lithography machines that the world’s chip industry depends on. It employs thousands of international engineers and regularly recruits across physics, software, mechanical and electrical engineering.
13. NXP Semiconductors (nxp.com/careers) The semiconductor company has major operations in the Netherlands, especially in Eindhoven and Nijmegen, and hires hardware, software and systems engineers.
14. Philips (careers.philips.com) The health technology company has deep roots in Eindhoven and Amsterdam. Roles span engineering, data, clinical, regulatory and software.
15. Shell (jobs.shell.com) With a large Dutch presence, Shell hires in energy, engineering, trading, data and digital roles.
What You Need to Know About the Highly Skilled Migrant Permit
To qualify, you need a job offer from a recognised sponsor that meets the minimum gross monthly salary. The figures below are for 2026:
- Aged 30 and over: €5,942 gross per month
- Under 30: €4,357 gross per month
Thresholds are updated every year, so confirm the current amounts on the IND website before you apply or negotiate an offer.
The employer applies for your permit, not you. Once you have an offer, your employer submits the application to the IND. You do not need an agent, and you should never be asked to pay for the sponsorship itself.
How to Apply
- Check the sponsor register. Search any company on the IND’s public register of recognised sponsors at ind.nl before you invest time in an application.
- Go straight to the career page. Apply through the company’s own website rather than through third parties.
- Read each advert carefully. Not every role at these companies is sponsored. Some postings are limited to candidates who already have the right to work in the Netherlands or the EU, and the advert usually says so.
- Tailor your CV. Match your experience to the job description, keep it concise and highlight measurable results.
- Mention your situation honestly. Say early that you would need visa sponsorship so that neither side loses time.
- Check the salary. Make sure the offered gross monthly salary meets the highly skilled migrant threshold for your age group.
A Warning About Scams
If anyone asks you to pay for a job in the Netherlands, it is a scam. Legitimate employers do not charge candidates for job offers or for sponsorship, and the cost of the permit application is the employer’s responsibility. Be wary of unsolicited messages offering jobs, requests for payment to “secure” a position, and email addresses that do not match the company’s real domain. When in doubt, go to the company’s official career page and verify there.
Final Thoughts
The Netherlands offers real opportunities for skilled workers, and the companies above are a strong place to start. Check the IND register, apply directly, read every advert closely, and be honest about needing sponsorship. With the right preparation, a career in the Netherlands is well within reach.
This list is for general guidance only. Sponsor status and hiring policies can change, so always verify a company on the IND register and confirm current requirements on ind.nl.