Working in Eindhoven

Any number of things may have brought you to Eindhoven. Perhaps you are staying for a few years to study, or you've decided to settle here for a while to work. No matter why you're here, you'll find many reasons for you to keep coming back. The buzzing cultural scene will keep you inspired, and so will the endless choice of international sporting and arts events. Stay a while on this page to get the most out of your stint of living and working in Eindhoven.

The soft 'g'

If you've been to the Netherlands before, you'll know that most people speak English quite well. English is understood and spoken in most shops, restaurants and at service desks, such as the VVV (information centre), banks and within cultural institutions. Opportunities to learn Dutch are available at a large numbe of training centres, privately and at language institutions throughout the Brabant province. And when you overcome the initial hacking and spluttering required to pronounce the soft 'g' that the southerners are famous for (it's a bit softer than it sounds in other parts of the country!), most people you meet will be pleased to help you practice your Dutch in real life.

Working in Eindhoven

Geographically speaking, Eindhoven is a hub of design, innovation and technology. Its numerous international companies and institutions attract expats from all over the world - Philips, ASML and the High Tech Campus to name a few. If you're a student, casual work can be found in one of the many bars or cafs along Europe's longest strip of nightlife haunts - Stratumseind - although a good working knowledge of Dutch would be handy for that work. Undutchables are a good recruitment agency to approach if you speak more than one language; you can also try places like Adecco or Randstad. Some English language job listings can be found by simply checking out LinkedIn or Google, and recruitment companies like Michael Page undertake their recruitment process in English. Other opportunities to find work can otherwise be found through your network of friends and co-students, or the range of international clubs that abound in the city.

Creating a network

It's always a good idea to join a social club in Eindhoven to build up a local social life. Some of the most popular clubs and resources are the Hub Eindhoven for Expats, Expats in Eindhoven, IWCE Eindhoven and Mums and Toddlers. Opportunities to connect with other expats present themselves at regular events such as the international quiznight, or if you would like to become a member of a church parish, then maybe you can check out the International Baptist Church of Eindhoven or Trinity Church Eindhoven. For a way to really orientate yourself thoroughly, however, a visit to the Holland Expat Center South is a must.

Lifestyle, Leisure and Culture

Upon first glance, Eindhoven may not present itself as a destination of the best combination of weather, architectural wonders or whimsical character the way other European cities do. But Eindhoven has its geography in its favour - 20 minutes to Belgium, 50 minutes to Germany and only a couple of hours before you hit France by car.

The city is very green with lots of parks and bike paths which can take you on a lovely circuit through the Genneper Park to visit the Genneper Hoeve organic farm and quickly feel like you're getting away from it all.

When it comes to cultural curiosities of Eindhoven some set them apart, and others fall into the rhytm of the rest of the country. In the Brabant province, the festival that marks the beginning of the Catholic Lenten season, this year 5-8 March is Carnaval. It is widely celebrated in Eindhoven with true Brabantse fervor. An annual national celebration is Queen's Day, 30 April. Everyone everywhere in the Netherlands gets decked out in orange and celebrates the birthday of the previous Queen, Juliana. The city centre is transformed these two days of the year into one big party.

Also, Eindhoven loves a good festival as well as its sports and marks the calendar year throughout by hosting some games of the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League in the 35000+ seat Philips Stadium, and also Dutch Design Week in October, GLOW and STRP Festivals in November - and the list goes on. You can find the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swim Stadium inside the largest swim centre in Europe where the IPC Swimming Championships and the European Swimming short course Championships were held last year.

The former Philips terrain, Strijp-S, is currently being redeveloped to become a cultural, residential and commercial centre and is only a hop skip and a jump from the city centre. The project will be completed in 2020 or so; the raw factory feel of the space lends itself nicely to helping residents and expats get used to the idea of how to use the district. Many big name musical acts, such as Underworld and M.I.A. have put on concerts in the Klokgebouw at Strijp-S, and a great number of exciting design ateliers and start up companies are also based at the location.

If you love good music, then you won't be disappointed with the quality of acts that constantly pop up at the Muziekgebouw Frits Philips and Parktheater. Annual subscriptions are available, and a diverse program is on offer to keep any die-hard theatre or concert-goer satisfied. As for the visual arts, the MU is well worth a visit for its obscure exhibitions on visual culture, and the Van Abbemuseum is always highly worthy of a regular visit too.

Other practicalities

There are numerous things to take into consideration if you are thinking of a longer stay in Eindhoven, city of light. We will regularly update this page with practical information on the international schools, living costs, healthcare, accommodation and much more. In the meantime, read more about available expat services, check out the business directory and Services section where an already comprehensive list of information has already been collected for you. You can also get in touch with Holland Expat Center South, the official organisation assisting you with formalities around your relocation.