A good place to start
Start the housing conversation as soon as your work location and likely arrival date are clear. We can help with the rental search while your employer or immigration adviser handles the employment and residence process.
CBS’s June 2026 table reports 13.9 thousand. This is an annual arrival count, not all international professionals living in the Netherlands.
Read the CBS sourceWhat your move needs
A start date to work around
Coordinate your search with arrival, temporary accommodation and the first day of work.
A home you can assess from abroad
Use video viewings and a local contact to understand a property before applying.
An application ready to act on
Discuss which employment documents are available now and which will follow.
A real migration group, with different housing needs
CBS’s latest migration release confirms continuing arrivals of specialist workers, even as the number has fallen since 2022. Your housing options still depend on the particular role, household, location and rental budget; a national migration figure does not establish local availability.
A professional moving alone may prioritise the commute and a manageable first home. Someone moving with a partner may need to plan around a second job search. Start with how the household will live, rather than assuming that everyone with the same permit has the same needs.
Build the search around the working week
Tell us where you will work and how often you need to be there. Use our Amsterdam, Utrecht and other city guides to explore the geography, then agree which surrounding areas you would actually consider.
Separate essentials from preferences: number of bedrooms, furnished or unfurnished, accessibility, pets and space to work. Confirm which documents your employer can provide before your first payslip, and let us discuss the search in that context.
A housing team here while you are still there
Our rental service includes application preparation, viewing coordination, rental proposals, lease explanation and key-handover support. We can arrange video viewings when you are abroad. Our off-market network adds opportunities through local property contacts.
We have helped 1,400 expats and offer direct personal communication. Use the consultation to agree what we will take on, what you need to provide and what happens if a suitable rental takes longer than your initial plan. Off-market access does not guarantee a home or a completion date.
Keep the arrival plan workable
Plan for temporary accommodation if the timing calls for it. Check the end date and extension terms before you rely on it. Your employer’s relocation contact should know where the housing search stands if your accommodation is tied to your start date.
A rental search and immigration approval are separate processes. Keep permit questions with the responsible employer or specialist, and confirm any extra services in writing. We will discuss how the housing work fits around them.
Bring these to your consultation
A few concrete details help us make the first conversation useful.
- Work location and likely office days
- Arrival and job start dates
- Household and property requirements
- Available employment documents
- Housing budget and temporary-accommodation plan
Common questions
Can you start while I am abroad?
Yes, we can discuss your search and prepare the application before arrival. Video viewings can be arranged. Timing and availability depend on the assignment and the housing market.
Does having a highly skilled migrant permit guarantee a rental?
No. A residence or work status does not guarantee landlord acceptance. The property, application, budget and household requirements still matter.
Can my employer be involved?
Yes. Agree who pays for which services and who should receive updates. Our corporate housing service can support the employee and employer around the search.
What should I prepare if I do not have a Dutch payslip yet?
Tell us which documents your employer can provide, such as the confirmed employment agreement and start date. We can discuss your application using the information available and check the requirements for each property.
How should I choose a search area around my new job?
Start with the actual office location, the days you need to travel and your acceptable commute. We can then discuss nearby areas alongside your preferred city, taking the household’s other needs into account.
Can the search include space for working from home?
Yes. Include workspace, bedrooms, furnishing, accessibility and pets in your brief. Distinguish essential requirements from preferences so we know which alternatives you would consider.
What if my temporary accommodation ends before I find a home?
Tell us the end date at intake and check extension options with the accommodation provider. Keep your employer informed where relevant, and agree a contingency rather than relying on a particular completion date.
Sources & approach
These guides use published migration and education data to identify real audience groups. They describe situations we can discuss, not individual client stories. National arrival counts, student populations and permit-holder counts are different measures and should not be added together.
YEB’s figure of 1,400 expats helped is company-reported as of September 2026. Service details and statistics were reviewed on 15 September 2026; source years are stated where relevant.
- CBS, 30 June 2026: migration in 2025, with EU work and family data for 2024
- Your Expat Butler: housing search, viewings and aftercare
- Your Expat Butler: off-market expertise
- Your Expat Butler: corporate services and business partners
