Why so many South Africans are moving to the Netherlands
Stats show a spike in skilled South Africans moving to the Netherlands. We explore the benefits that make this destination so attractive.
An “unprecedented wave of South Africans” – that is the description that Tax Consulting SA uses to describe the amount of South Africans who moved to the Netherlands over the past couple of months.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE FOREFRONT
According to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (the country’s statistics hub), there are around 41 300 South Africans living in the Netherlands. A large percentage of them is employed there.
“The country’s active recruitment of talent, particularly in sectors like finance, engineering, and information technology, provides a compelling incentive for South Africans seeking new career horizons,” said Tax Consulting SA’s Roxanna Naidoo. The skills most in demand are:
- engineering (mechanical, industrial, electrical, food, biomedical, energy, etc.),
- human resources,
- security,
- solar installation,
- healthcare, and
- construction.
KEY ATTRACTIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS
TAX INCENTIVES
The Dutch government offers tax incentives for highly skilled migrants. The Netherlands operates with a 30% tax facility for foreign workers. This initiative allows individuals to receive 30% of their salary tax-free.
COMMUNITY
The Netherlands has become a top choice for South Africans looking for a sense of home and belonging in a new country, thanks to the large community of SA expats, according to Business Tech.
In addition to favourable economic factors, the work/life balance is a significant pull factor. The general work culture in the Netherlands is one that emphasises family/leisure time and a standard of around 35 working hours per week. This creates the opportunity for a more balanced lifestyle accommodating professional and personal aspects.
SAFETY
The Netherlands has a safety index rating of 73,7 on the latest safety index rankings from Numbeo. In comparison, South Africa’s rating is 24,6. As part of the same statistics, South Africa’s crime index rating is 75,4 whereas the Netherlands has a rating of 26,3.
Crime and safety go hand in hand, so it is not surprising that these statistics show a very similar gap between South Africa and the Netherlands in both rankings.
The following graph shows a comparison of the occurrence of different types of crime in South Africa and the Netherlands.
