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| Amsterdam Expatcenter: one-stop shop for foreign employees in the Amsterdam region |
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Foreign employees can now pick up their Residence Permit and register with the City of Amsterdam or the City of Amstelveen in just one visit to the new Expatcenter, opened on June 17th by Mayor of Amsterdam Cohen and Mayor of Amstelveen Van Zanen. This one-stop shop will make it even more attractive to live and work in the Amsterdam region: a positive boost for the new business climate.
The Expatcenter test phase (which will last till autumn) was launched thanks to the joint efforts of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (the IND) and the Cities of Amsterdam and Amstelveen in coordinating their procedures for foreign employees. With this initiative, the IND aims to give a powerful impulse to preparations for a modern migration policy. The three parties have developed a working method, whereby the employer can initiate the procedure for a Residence Permit four weeks before the arrival of the employee. When the employee arrives in Amsterdam, his or her visit to the Expatcenter is already planned. There, the procedures enabling the employee to work can be concluded in one go.
The start-up of the Expatcenter coincided with the launch of the English-language website, www.iamsterdam.com/expatcenter. When the work on the website is completed, it will make it easier for expats and their families to settle in the Amsterdam region. It will combine all the useful municipal information (on parking, taxes, healthcare, education) with tips on those important topics requiring fast action. It will be also possible to report a change of address or apply for a parking permit online.
In the long run, expats may be able to get started on the process of coming to work in The Netherlands by simply filling in a digital form in their own country.
The test phase started with knowledge migrants coming to work in a limited number of companies (Tata Consultancy Services, Amro/Global Expat Centre, ING Bank, IBM Nederland NV, LogicaCMG BV, Canon Europe NV, Optiver Holding BV, Credit Europe Bank NV, Wieden + Kennedy Inc., GarantiBank International NV, Philips, Yacht, Mitsubishi Nederland BV, Everaert Advocaten, PWC, and KPMG). In autumn the service will be extended to more companies.
With this initiative, Amsterdam, Amstelveen and the IND are meeting the requirements of international companies and their employees for simplified procedures for working in The Netherlands. Since finding and retaining high-calibre employees is of great importance for companies, a high level of hospitality must be extended to such employees and their families. The Expatcenter will thus fulfil an important function and will help to make the Amsterdam area more foreigner friendly.
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Contact details of the Expatcenter:
World Trade Center Amsterdam
F-tower, second floor (entrance via Zuidplein)
Strawinskylaan 39
1077 XW Amsterdam
Tel: (020) 254 7999
Email: welcome@expatcenter.iamsterdam.com |
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| Pauline Genee, director of the Expatcenter, agreed to answer our questions. |
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• How can the new Expatcenter make life easier for foreigners who come to live and work in
• the Amsterdam area?
The Expatcenter will be the place where several procedures (getting a Residence Permit, completing the registration in the City Register, getting the BSN number) could be accomplished simultaniously, so it will save time for the new knowledge migrants. The new arrivals will need to visit the Expatcenter once instead of going to various offices in different parts of the city.
• Who will be the target group of the Expatcenter?
The Expatcenter started offering its services to the knowledge migrants from a limited number of companies. This test period is necessary to make sure that everything works well, and the Center is ready for more visitors. In autumn, when the test period is over, it will be able to offer its services to many more companies. Detailed information on various municipal services will also become available to the visitors.
• How do you see cooperation with ACCESS developing?
We see our contacts with ACCESS becoming more diverse, especially with ACCESS moving very close to the World Trade Center, in the new office on Prinses Irenestraat. While the Expatcenter will concentrate on providing official information and helping with immigration and registration procedures, ACCESS serves as an important source of information about different aspects of life in The Netherlands: housing, education, leisure, sport, culture, etc. Working in close contact, we will be complementing our services, and our visitors will hopefully get answers to all their questions.
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