Working abroad

Working abroad can offer many opportunities. It also has various practical consequences. Know what you need to pay attention to and arrange things properly.

What do you have to think about?

There are a number of matters that you have to arrange if you go to work abroad. What you need to organise precisely is dependent on your situation and the country you are travelling to. Pay attention, in any case, to the following matters:

  • You may need a visa and/or a work permit. This entails extra administration and you may need additional financing for this.
  • If you are taking special items with you, which you need in order to be able to do your work, find out in advance if you need an ATA carnet for this.  An ATA carnet is an international customs document which you can apply for from the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK).
  • If you are setting to work as an employee, you must arrange employee insurance. In many cases, it is possible to remain insured in the Netherlands. You must apply for a A1-verklaring (certificate of coverage) for this from the Dutch Social Insurance Bank (Sociale Verzekeringsbank, SVB). This certificate is the proof for the host country that you are not required to deduct certain costs from your salary or income. Please see the SVB website for more information.
  • Check with the Central Administration Office (CAK) whether your Dutch health insurance will remain valid in the host country or expand your coverage if necessary.
  • The law in terms of liability may be arranged differently in the host country. For that reason, check all your insurance policies properly and take out any additional insurance required.

Information and advice

DutchCulture is there to help creatives with international ambitions who want to gain a foothold internationally. They provide information, advice, training, and connect cultural and creative professionals with organisations, governments and networks. DutchCulture | TransArtists combines and shares knowledge and experience about artist-in-residence programmes and other international opportunities for creative professionals.

Creative Holland is there to help creative pioneers who want to discover where international opportunities lie in their sector. They have also developed an International Support Index in which all financial and non-financial schemes for internationalisation of the cultural and creative sector are listed. This is useful if you have international ambitions, but don’t have a clear picture of how the government could support you therein.

On the Move aims to increase international mobility in the arts and culture sector. They provide mobility funding guides listing grant opportunities for all kinds of destinations worldwide.

Netherlands has entered into co-production treaties with a number of countries. In this way, governments want to promote cooperation between two countries in terms of film co-production and to stimulate the development of the film industry in both countries. If the criteria are satisfied, the film can then be recognised in two countries as a national production and be eligible for the available government aid in the countries concerned.

Eurimages is the co-production and distribution fund of the Council of Europe. The Netherlands Film Fund serves on the board on behalf of the Netherlands. Foreign producers who want to (co-)produce in the Netherlands can find information at Filmcommission.nl.