Dutch language increasingly not a requirement for jobs: Indeed

Proficiency in Dutch is often not required for a job, according to Indeed, which calls itself the biggest job site in the Netherlands. According to the site, vacancies in other European countries more often state that candidates must master the local language.

Indeed calculated that 8 percent of the vacancies on its platform do not require the applicant to speak and understand Dutch. Especially in cleaning, hospitality, and logistics, Dutch is often not necessary. The same applies to a lesser extent to the transport sector and the beauty and wellness sector. Vacancies for personnel departments, IT helpdesks, and daycare centers, for example, still mostly require Dutch.

“The Dutch labor market is particularly internationally oriented,” said Indeed Benelux director Stan Snijders. “In sectors like cleaning and logistics, we see that employers are increasingly willing to hire employees with a non-Dutch background, even if they don’t speak Dutch. This is mainly because there are often major shortages in those sectors. The disappearance of the language barrier makes it easier to fill those vacancies.”

Indeed is active in many countries in Europe and sees different figures there. In Spain, 6 percent of vacancies do not include a requirement for the Spanish language. In France and Italy, 4 percent of vacancies do not require you to know French or Italian. In the United Kingdom and Germany, the figure is around 3 percent.