The Hague

The International City of Peace and Justice offers the opportunity to work toward creating a better world while instantly feeling at home. Providing the best of both worlds, The Hague offers all the possibilities of a big city with small-town charm. Made up of various neighbourhoods, each with its own distinct character, and a picturesque 11 km coastline just 10 minutes from the centre. What’s more, The Hague is known as one of the greenest cities in Europe with plenty of parks and gardens to enjoy. These are just a few of the reasons why the ‘Hagenaren’, as they are fondly known, are so proud of their city.

Quickly go to

Doing good and doing business
Education and Talent
The advantages of living in The Hague
Delft
Watch their story about The Hague
Interested in The Hague?
More about NL

Historical buildings at the political center in The Hague.

Doing good and doing business

The Hague is the place to be when it comes to the next step in your professional career. Many international organisations call the city home, with people from all over the world working in The Hague towards creating a better, more secure and just world. Think of potential employers, such as the International Court of Justice, Europol, NATO or the International Criminal Court. Next to the Dutch government, one of the largest employers in the city with a total of over 35,000 employees, many multinational head offices such as Total, Siemens, Huawei, Aegon and the NN Group can be found in The Hague. Also, the number of entrepreneurs in the city is growing, creating startups that offer innovative services and products, often operating out of hubs like The Hague Tech, The Hague Security Delta, Apollo14 or THe Hague Humanity Hub. These startups are not only focusing on commercial success but also on social responsibility. That’s what we call ‘doing good & doing business’.

Education and Talent

The Hague is known as a hub for creativity and talent. With both the world-class University of Leiden and the Technical University of Delft on the city’s doorstep, alongside several other universities of applied sciences such as the Haagse Hogeschool, The Hague offers an attractive environment for international students. The diverse opportunities for lifelong learning include the Clingendael Academy, which is one of the largest independent training centres in the world. Every year, around 2,500 international professionals from over 60 countries participate in courses on diplomacy and international relations at the Clingendael Institute. The Hague Academy of International Law, situated in the iconic Peace Palace, is a high-level teaching institution designed to bring together young international lawyers from all over the world.

Couple looking at the painting of Vermeer, the girl with the pearl earring.

People having a drink on a terrace at Scheveningen beach.

The advantages of living in The Hague

• Coastal city

The Hague is the only major city in the Netherlands located by the sea. The city has two seaside resorts which can easily reached by bicycle or tram within 15 minutes from the historic city centre. The beaches of The Hague are ideal for sport and relaxing, or for a sunset dinner in summer. For many residents, the 11 kilometres of coastline is one of the biggest assets the city has to offer.

• Compact and relaxed

With over half a million residents, The Hague is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. You can find everything you need here, including a rich cultural environment. At the same time, The Hague is compact and easy to navigate.

• Career opportunities

There are over 250,000 jobs across many industries in The Hague; this includes many career opportunities in specific sectors that can’t be found elsewhere. Sustainability, ethics, law, SDG’s and ethical dilemmas in a digital age on a regional, national or even global level. A career in The Hague, therefore, often has a bigger impact than most.

• Family

The city boasts the most international educational possibilities in the Netherlands, including primary school, secondary school and a broad range of multilingual day-care facilities. Almost half of all the children who go to an international school in the Netherlands do so in The Hague region.

• Appealing neighbourhoods

Perhaps you like to live in the vibrant city centre, or maybe you prefer more peaceful residential areas? You might even see yourself living directly behind the dunes, just a few steps from the beach. The Hague offers a variety of diverse neighbourhoods, and what’s more, the city is affordable at the same time. Research shows that The Hague is not only the top city in the Netherlands where most young families love to live, but also where they plan to stay for the long term.

Delft

In between The Hague and Rotterdam lies Delft, a medium-sized city of 100,000 inhabitants of which over a quarter are students. Delft is a historic city, filled with monumental architecture and canals. Yearly, around 1 million visitors visit artist Johannes Vermeer’s birthplace, Delft Blue pottery and discover the story of William of Orange. The Technical University of Delft is a worldwide leader in fields like artificial intelligence, quantum, robotics and aerospace. Surrounding the university are start-up campuses like Yes!Delft, Buccaneer and RoboValley, high-tech institutes and companies like Samsung, Brightsight, DSM, Deltares and UNESCO-IHE Water Institute.