Hey all,
So my wife got a job in the Netherlands and apparently that’s now my problem too. We’re moving around October and I’m genuinely excited — Italy and I needed a break from each other anyway.
The thing is, I’m leaving behind a steady public sector salary to follow her. Not complaining — it was time — but I’d rather not arrive in Amsterdam and immediately become a financial dependent. That’s her job description, not mine.
Background: master’s in law focused on migration policy and border management, ongoing PhD in EU Law. English C1, Dutch zero, humility increasing daily.
Long-term goal is to get into the EU ecosystem — agencies, think tanks, policy orgs working on migration/borders. But those processes take forever and everyone wants you to already be the finished product.
So the real question is: what’s a realistic way to replace a stable income while building that path? Consulting? Legal/policy freelancing? NGOs? Teaching? I’m not looking to get rich, just not to be the guy who asks his wife for pocket money at 49.
Any advice from people who made a mid-career move to NL without a job already lined up — very welcome 🙏