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I am hesitant when it comes to jobs that offer accommodation

912 views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Mariza  
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2 posts · ed 2024
I found a legit looking agency online few weeks ago. We talked about conditons, accommodation, job and I agreed to come to the NL. I have necessary documents (EU port, no criminal record etc.) That day is getting closer and closer and i am more worried, mostly about my safety there since i have read lots of posts and experiences of other people that went working abroad with these types of agencies that offer accommodation. I checked their reviews, they are rated with 4* and in the comments some people were complaining about them while others said that agency is purely okay. Their site looks cheap and outdated, i that i found them on facebook one day and decided to send them a CV, i was sending it to various agencies that i could find at that time in hopes to get an offer...

That agency told me they will pick me up from the airport and then we will have an interview in their office, also if i arrive and that job offer that i applied for is not available at that moment then they will find me something else. When it comes to accommodation, based on the info that i got, i should be with 1-2 peole in a studio room or in the agency's hotel room.


I mainly want to work abroad for a longer time in the NL because i want to be independend and have my own life. I don't want to rely on my parents anymore, i may be too young for making such a risky decision(18F) but i think that the sooner i do it then it will get better and easier, i don't want to be stuck with them till my 30s or so.

I am hesitant about the decision that i made, i am rethinking my choice for days...i even booked a flight two weeks ago, i agreed with the agency...i can cancel everything but if i do then i'll waste money over nothing, idk is that better solution or should i come there and see things for myself? I am afraid of getting trafficked or scammed so thats why i post here, i talked with my friends but they couldn't help me much, and i don't have anyone in the Netherlands so yeah, the decision is purely mine...

Or since i miss being in the Netherlands so much, i can book a nice hotel and have another temporary visit... I really fell in love with the country and everything it has and i am aware of the crisis and its bad sides and i am willing to do anything to make myself to be there one day!

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this! Any advice would be appreciated!
 
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I would be very wary of a "job offer" that comes with accommodation. It depends on what kind of job - but very few jobs these days come complete with accommodation. Off the top of my head only something like working on a cruise ship or for a large amusement park (like Euro Disney) would be the sort of thing where you are expected to live in quarters on site. This seems (to me, at least) like a very dodgy "offer."
 
With the housing shortage in NL, there are employers that start to do on housing, but you would have to fit a special skills category (for which I suggest you're too young still). Second is companies like Otto (OTTO Work Force, de nummer 1 in internationale arbeidsbemiddeling) who "rent out" labor. They actually hire a lot of Eastern Europeans for work in the Netherlands and indeed provide housing (mostly complete local simple hotels). All depends per location (they have a larger hotel in use in the place I live that's why I know). I am not aware of the salaries etc, I know some of the "scam activities" like paying 80% of your income for housing and food to them are prohibited these days.
BTW in my life I have never had a company pick me up from the airport for an interview....
 
With the housing shortage in NL, there are employers that start to do on housing, but you would have to fit a special skills category (for which I suggest you're too young still). Second is companies like Otto (OTTO Work Force, de nummer 1 in internationale arbeidsbemiddeling) who "rent out" labor. They actually hire a lot of Eastern Europeans for work in the Netherlands and indeed provide housing (mostly complete local simple hotels). All depends per location (they have a larger hotel in use in the place I live that's why I know). I am not aware of the salaries etc, I know some of the "scam activities" like paying 80% of your income for housing and food to them are prohibited these days.
BTW in my life I have never had a company pick me up from the airport for an interview....

Previously, i have found some of OTTO's job offers and after we got in touch they went inactive for some time, later then i did more research about the company (yh stupid me doing everything too late) and that made me more scared about the enviroment i'd be in, (i have read lots of bad experiences and stories about them) so while they went inactive i was keep searching for something better and more safe. They told me to send some stuff such as port and IBAN number via whatsapp which was very suspicious to me and which made me more hestitant and after a week they answered that they didn't replied because they were on a holiday, that pissed me off a lot, their commitment looks like its equivalent to a 0 + after googling everything about them i got the worst ever scenarios in my head.



That other agency didn't asked me for such things, i don't know, i'll see... Thanks for the answering!
 
Well I don't know where you are living, but Western Europe has lots of holidays and it would not be surprising if people are out of reach from middle of July to about now (middle of August). That's not just for NL, but also , Belgium and .
I indeed would never send personal details with Whatsapp, although I have also had that request before (for travel). Just be aware, the grass is always greener ...... The NL is not as easy to survive as many think, surely not in the larger cities, as salaries are (relatively) low and cost for i.e. housing, utilities and F&B are quite high. That's why many Dutch get (toeslagen) from government to survive. Not sure how that works for migrant workers though.
Anyway good luck.
 
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