Many people wish to find jobs in Amsterdam and who can blame them? The chance to work in such a beautiful country appeals to many of its visitors thinking about making a more permanent base in the city than the few days they have there.

There are a number of ways that one can get jobs in Amsterdam and I cover them step by step, below.

First of all, you should check what type of passport or citizenship you have. If you have an EU (European Union) passport then the process is much more simple than otherwise. As an EU citizen, you have complete freedom of movement and the right to settle and work anywhere in the EU, including Holland.

If you do not have an EU passport, then the process is not as simple. One way is to be sponsored by your current employer who may have a branch office overseas or is looking to establish a presence there. The usual rules apply i.e. they must prove that they could not find a similarly qualified local candidate.

There are also working holiday visas available for those between the ages of 18 and 30 and hailing from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. So long as you have proof of a minimum level of funds, such visas allow those looking for work to arrive and then look for jobs in Amsterdam.

More information on the above is available from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Department or Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst, at their website, www.ind.nl/EN.

So, how can one find out about jobs in Amsterdam before getting there? You can use the regular job sites such as Monster and Jobserve. I would also like to make a special recommendation for Expatica. This site is aimed at expatriates in The Netherlands and, as well as providing useful information on living and working as a foreigner in this region, there are also some good lists of available jobs in Amsterdam as well.

Of course, if you have a working holiday visa or are an EU national, then you are free to simply land and look for work. Many people who do this will at least look for casual work to tide them over initially such as working in hostels, bars and coffeeshops in the centre of Amsterdam, where you only need to know English. There is also a strong trade in international call centres where native English speakers are always needed. Accommodation is notoriously hard to obtain in Amsterdam and many such people will stay in hostels initially until they can arrange a better place to stay.