Shortage Occupations List in the Netherlands helps the country to identify skilled workers and highly qualified professionals not only locally but also from EU and non-EU countries. The country is the 6th largest in terms of labor shortage in the local market in the EU.
Altogether, in the Netherlands, high-skilled employment is growing at an above-average rate. Despite the increasing number of high-level graduates, particularly in economic, administrative, and IT fields, the rising demand is a significant factor contributing to bottlenecks.
Furthermore, in technical occupations, both at high skill levels and at secondary levels (such as technical professionals), a lack of supply exacerbates these bottlenecks. A major issue is the insufficient interest in technical education, which is evident from the low levels of interest in technical subjects in secondary education.
Moreover, in the healthcare sector, bottlenecks arise from a combination of high demand and insufficient interest, along with regulatory constraints, particularly concerning budget limitations. On the other hand, the shortages in the education sector, specifically among teachers, are closely related to the aforementioned bottlenecks.
Top 20 Bottleneck Occupations in the Netherlands
According to the EURES 2023 report, the top bottleneck occupations in the Netherlands are as follows:
| Occupation |
| Food and hospitality industry workers |
| Cleaning workers |
| Machine operators |
| Manufacturing supervisors |
| Professional drivers |
| Transport conductors |
| Skilled crafts and trade workers |
| Nursing professionals |
| Physiotherapists |
| Dentists |
| Pharmaceutical technicians and assistants |
| Applications programmers |
| Software developers |
| Public relations professionals |
| Accountants |
| Teachers |
| Construction managers |
| Civil engineering laborers |
| Engineers (electronic, electrical, mechanical, civil, etc.) |
| Security and Prison guards |
Sector-wise occupational shortages
Below are the sector-wise bottleneck vacancies and the example of occupations in demand currently in the Netherlands:
| Sector | Bottleneck Vacancies | Examples of Occupations |
| Manufacturing, Construction, Business Services | Manufacturing: food, chemical industry, metal and electro-technical industry, maintenance | Electro engineers, Mechanical engineers, Materials engineers |
| Construction: a broad range of occupations and skills | Mechanical designers and head technicians, Electro engineers | |
| Business Services (design) | Management consultants, Technical systems analysts | |
| Health Care | Doctors, medical analysts, therapists and nurses | Doctors, Medical analysts, Therapists and Nurses |
| Specific fields like geriatric medicine and mental health | Specialized healthcare professionals in geriatric medicine and mental health | |
| IT Services | Systems analysts, software developers, other high skilled IT professionals | Computer scientists, Software developers, Systems analysts |
| High and Medium Skilled Technical Professionals | High and medium skilled technical professionals | Computer scientists, Electro engineers, Mechanical engineers |
Companies that hire foreigners in the Netherlands
Many companies have been authorized in 2024 by the Dutch Government to hire foreign skilled and highly qualified professionals. Some of these are as follows:
| Company Name | Sector |
| ASML | Technology/Engineering |
| Philips | Technology/Healthcare |
| Shell | Energy |
| Unilever | Consumer Goods |
| DSM | Chemicals/Healthcare |
| AkzoNobel | Chemicals |
| Heineken | Beverage/Consumer Goods |
| Hilton | Hospitality |
| Booking.com | Travel/Technology |
| Coolblue | Retail/Technology |
| Picnic | Retail/Logistics |
| ManpowerGroup | Staffing/Recruitment |
| Randstad | Staffing/Recruitment |
| Adecco | Staffing/Recruitment |
| USG People | Staffing/Recruitment |
| Robert Half | Staffing/Recruitment |
| ZIVVER | Technology/Software |
| Infosys Limited | IT Services |
| Orange Quarter | Recruitment/Consulting |
| Jefferson Frank | Recruitment/Consulting |
| Alpha FX Group | Financial Services |
| Optiver | Financial Services |
| Experis | IT Recruitment |
| Tripaneer | Travel |
| Stafide | Recruitment/Staffing |
| Coolblue | Retail/Technology |
| ABN AMRO Bank | Financial Services |
Work Visas Offered by the Netherlands
| Visa Type | Description | Requirements |
| Highly Skilled Migrant (kennismigrant) Visa | Suitable for highly qualified specialists with in-demand skills. Applicants must have a job offer from a recognized Dutch promoter. | – Job offer from a recognized Dutch promoter- Salary meeting minimum edge (often above €4,844 per month in 2024)- Relevant qualifications and experience |
| Orientation Year (oriëntatiejaar) Visa | For highly educated individuals wanting to find a job in the Netherlands within a year. It allows a one-year stay to search for a job with a recognized sponsor. | – Completed university degree or equivalent- Sufficient economic resources for self-support (approximately €880 per month)- Adequate health insurance |
Job Salary in the Netherlands
Overall, the Netherlands has the one of the highest average salaries 44,000 annually in the EU.
a) Minimum Salary levels
Following is the overview of the minimum wages in the Netherlands before tax:
| Description | Amount/Details |
| Minimum Monthly Wage | €2,371.20 (for 40 hours per week) |
| Minimum Annual Wage | €30,730 |
| Minimum Hourly Wage (21 years or older) | €13.68 |
| Minimum Hourly Wage (23 years old) | €13.27 |
b) Highest Paying Jobs
In terms of pre-tax salaries in euros, the top-ranked occupation is that of a Doctor, earning an impressive €126,130 annually. This is significantly higher than the second-highest salary, which goes to a Pilot, who earns €110,675. The salary gap narrows slightly between the Pilot and the third position, occupied by a Lawyer, with an annual salary of €104,560.
Moving down the list, a Company Manager earns €86,110, placing them fourth, which is still well above the earnings of a Business Analyst at €78,040. The HR Manager and Commercial Director earn €72,090 and €72,820 respectively, showing a competitive salary range for managerial roles, though slightly less than that of the Company Manager.
At the lower end of the top ten, the Captain of a Sea Vessel earns €66,995, followed by a Notary at €65,730. The least earning of the top ten positions is a Detective, with an annual salary of €64,315.
c) Average salaries occupation-wise
Below is a latest overview of the average salaries in the Netherland in comparisons with the different sectors monthly before tax:
| Job | Average Salaries before Tax Monthly |
| Accountant | €2,178 – €5,263 |
| Architect | €1,860 – €6,304 |
| Customer support | €2,209 – €3,850 |
| Data analyst | €3,275 – €6,256 |
| Digital marketing specialist | €2,677 – €4,593 |
| Doctor | €3,876 – €9,103 |
| Financial analyst | €2,767 – €7,076 |
| HR generalist | €2,807 – €5,101 |
| Mechanical engineer | €3,055 – €5,589 |
| Nurse | €1,759 – €5,100 |
| Receptionist | €1,881 – €3,630 |
| Software engineer | €3,444 – €8,731 |
| Waiter/Waitress | €2,091 – €4,097 |