I got an opportunity through the company I worked for in India, which also has offices in the Netherlands. I began researching the Netherlands, and I learned quite a lot. For example, that innovation is the key here, which has led to a strong economy. I also read about how safe this country is and the quality of the education system and living conditions. All of this motivated me to move to the Netherlands. There was space to show my strengths and grow my career here. 

“I like that the Dutch culture strongly promotes health and fitness. People here are very conscious about their health.”

At the same time, I like that the Dutch culture strongly promotes health and fitness. People here are very conscious about their health. So I thought living in such an environment would definitely influence me to take care of myself. After that, I built up my personal life here, which was another reason I wanted to stay.

The high-tech environment in this city is mature and diverse. Individuals in high-tech and the country as a whole have a startup mentality, which is also why the Netherlands has one of the best startup environments in the world.

“There are various ways in the ecosystem for people to enhance and utilise their skills & competencies to create something new that will benefit the world.”

The government supports this ecosystem by supporting both startups and the research that helps generate the ideas funnelled into these startups. There is also a lot of research happening in the software industry, where I am involved. Many of these companies rely on research which is a good motivator, and a robust digital infrastructure anchors the ecosystem. 

There are various ways in the ecosystem for people to enhance and utilise their skills & competencies to create something new that will benefit the world. So if someone has a talent in a specific area, they already have all the ingredients they need to build something themselves.

I have two levels of experience here, for myself and for people I helped hire. My company processed my visa through a third-party agency, so it was pretty easy to understand. On another level, I've been working for Brainbox consulting, and we hire many people from abroad. We have quite a standard process in place. People just have to share their information, and then we fill it in for them on the IND portal. It is simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. I also had experience applying for the US, where the process can get quite complex and lengthy, unlike in the Netherlands.

The highly skilled migrant visa works along with the thriving Dutch startup ecosystem and an innovation-based economy. Srini got to experience this firsthand from both ends of the recruitment process. The Highly Skilled Migrant visa is one of the ways the Dutch Ecosystem allows specialised industries, like those involved in high-tech, to thrive as startups or even as larger companies. Startups in such specialised fields can grow only in ecosystems that enable robust research infrastructure and include mechanisms to attract new highly skilled talent.

Moreover, beyond the opportunities a research-based, startup-focused ecosystem provides, the Dutch culture was another pulling factor for Srini, as with many other people who chose to move here. The culture In the Netherlands focuses on health and fitness while valuing education in a way that makes for one of the best educational systems in the world. The culture and the ecosystem provide opportunities for people to grow, take initiative, and realise their ideas: attitudes critical to a startup mentality and the Dutch ecosystem.