Expat The Netherlands News

20 Nov at 6 PM 2019

Mafia gang wars, drugs and murder threaten expat life in Spain

British expats living in Spain’s Costa del Sol region are being warned over violence and assassinations now taking place in what appears to be a drugs-based mafia-style gang war. Over the past several months, Spanish police have been investigating at least two murders, with a third taking place just two weeks ago. The first body, that of a 39 year-old man, was found in a ditch on September 18, with the corpse showing signs of violence. Police originally labelled the death as suicide, but changed their minds when the proof of...

4 Nov at 6 PM 2019

Real estate scammer caught targeting new expat arrivals in Amsterdam

New expat arrivals in the Netherlands are being warned to check out the credentials of real estate agents when searching for accommodation. The warning comes as one scam artist is remanded in custody on charges of ripping off 13 victims for a total sum of around €100,000 in order to finance his gambling addiction debts. In a procedural court hearing held last Wednesday, the fraudster admitted he’d scammed some 42 people by means of deposits and pre-payments for rental accommodation not actually for rent. No-one suspected his...

28 Oct at 6 PM 2019

Bad Brexit news for British expats in Eindhoven

Whilst Europe watches the Brexit fiasco tottering towards some kind of conclusion benefiting no-one ,British expats in Eindhoven attended yet another British embassy meet-up. Held at Eindhoven’s Hub expat centre, both representatives from the British Embassy and the Netherlands Immigration and Naturalisation Service were present, ready and willing to interpret the bad news for around 50 UK citizens ranging from retirees to students. A number of retirees had been denied the referendum vote as they’d been living overseas for more...

16 Oct at 6 PM 2019

Expat families heading for Amsterdam now have English language website for schools

Amsterdam primary schools have launched a new website to inform expats wishing to put their kids into the Dutch school system. One of the most pressing problems for expat families is schooling for youngsters, as accessible information in newcomers’ languages is often hard to find. Expats arriving in Amsterdam along with their families can now access the new English language website representing 22 local primary schools happy to help the newly-arrived choose the best school for their children. The site contains information...

20 Sep at 6 PM 2019

How will the 2020 Dutch budget affect the expat community?

In these troubled times, the word ‘budget’ can send expats’ hearts sinking, in case their purchasing power is limited by increased costs or even swingeing taxation! As every expat is - or at least should be – aware, the economic state of a country can have a direct influence on salaries, especially if they’re paid in the home country’s currency. Luckily for expatriate professionals in the Netherlands, their chosen country’s economy is in a reasonably stable state, with its national debt due to decrease to less than 50...

20 Sep at 6 PM 2019

Costa Blanca flood victims to receive emergency grants and aid from local government

In the aftermath of the catastrophic Costa Blanca floods, the Valencian government is preparing to grant financial aid to victims who’ve lost everything. The freak storms, now considered the worst in living memory, flooded a huge swathe of the Vega Baja from Los Alcazares to Orihuela, devastating 300,000 acres of farmland, destroying homes and businesses and claiming seven lives. The cleanup is expected to cost 1.5 billion euros and there are no estimates at present as to how long it will take. The first grants will be given to...

12 Sep at 6 PM 2019

Popular annual Amsterdam International Expat Fair scheduled for October 6

The 17th Amsterdam Expat Fair for Internationals is due on October 6th, and is expected to be the best ever. The fair is a must-visit for all expats in the Netherlands as well as for those planning to arrive, and has grown in popularity as the country’s expat population has continued to increase. This year’s event will concentrate on expat essentials aimed at those who’re considering settling in the Netherlands, those who’ve recently arrived and long-stayers who’ve made the country their home. The focus is on three themes...

22 Aug at 6 PM 2019

Expat students offered cheap digs in exchange for help with senior citizens

If you’ve arrived in Prague and can’t afford to rent an apartment, a new volunteer scheme may be your answer to sleeping on the streets. As Prague’s popularity as an expat hub soars, so do its rental charges, leaving many new university students the choice of going home or sleeping on someone’s sofa. A recently-started answer to the problem may be of use, especially for expatriate students with social consciences. Prague’s district 3 has initiated a pilot plan which will help solve students’ accommodation problems as well...

18 Jun at 6 PM 2019

British expats growing ever more concerned about their futures as UK citizens

Concerns are growing amongst the already insecure British expat population in Ireland, as well as within the communities in France, the Netherlands and Germany. A recent study compared the views of British expats living in EU member states with those prevalent amongst Britons living in the home country. Expats in Ireland, Germany, France and the Netherlands are amongst those expected to bear the brunt of changes brought about by Britain’s leaving the EU. Over half of expat respondents to the survey admitted they were worried about...

24 May at 6 PM 2019

Expats in Spain rush to stand as candidates in local elections

Dozens of expatriates living in the popular Andalusia region’s towns and villages are queuing up to register as candidates in upcoming local elections. The current election year is expected to be the most diverse in decades, with expats from the UK, Scandinavia and a good number of other northern European states now included on local political party lists. Local elections in Spain are vital, with almost 50 per cent of Andalusia’s coastal resorts comprising sizeable expat communities. Apart from the EU MEP elections, local polls...