Is finding a job difficult?

Welcome on board 

Finding a job in the Netherlands, and in your case Amsterdam, depends totally on your skills, your experiences, in which field you are looking and last but not least: your Dutch language!

You will need a work permit (MVV) if you can't find employment before you come to the Netherlands. If you are lucky to get a job before you come here your employer will apply for the MVV for you.
Failing that you will have to apply for an MVV before you leave the USA and this could take 6 months to get. You cannot apply for an MVV whilst you are in the Netherlands. You may visit on a short-term 90 day visa, but will have to leave at the end. Visit the ind.nl website for more information.

AnnaGabrielle123 wrote:

Is finding a job in Amsterdam hard to do? What qualifications would I need

You haven't mentioned what your skills are, so it's hard to be specific.  Generally, it can be very easy (my daughter got a full-time job within a fortnight), but the thing that made that possible was she had transferable skills/qualifications that are in demand and speaks/writes fluent Dutch (although she now speaks it with a mixed Twents/Yorkshire accent - which sounds funny - so her employer told her).

If you have no transferable skills and don't speak Dutch, you'll struggle and it may be almost impossible to find any work that will pay enough to support you - especially in Amsterdam; there are lots of Dutch people looking for work as well.  You don't mention if you have an EU passport; I'd strongly advise you read up the advice on here regarding visa's.

If you've never been to Holland before, I'd strongly recommend you come first as a tourist to make sure you like it; not all people like it.

Is that possible to get work permit (mvv) before finding a job? I heard that the only way is to find an employment and only the employer can apply for one for you.

I am a Canadian citizen with a college degree in Business Admin - Management. My boyfriend lives in NL and I want to move there to live with him. We are trying all possible ways, there are lot of international recruitment companies. Whenever I contact them, they ask whether I have a work permit or not. But how can I obtain one without having a position ready? I found jobs that suits my background really well (I speak Turkish, Russian and English fluently), but they all need employees who have work permit or permanent residency in NL. I am so frusturated, could someone help? What should I do...

To be frank, your qualifications are not desirable, but combined with your languages may be useful, especially if you have translator qualifications.  I'd suggest you and your boyfriend go to the IND website and see if that helps.

Assuming your boyfriend will support you financially while you try and find work?

You will need to get an MVV before you leave your country. As suggested the ind.nl website is a good place to start
.,

He will, however, I would like to find something before I leave.

I already did an internship in NL for 5 months. There are lot of client services positions that require language skills, however I have to have a work permit. When I went to IND, they told me it would be very easy to apply if I have an employer who is willing to hire me and apply for work permit. However, I can't find one...

Diora90 wrote:

He will, however, I would like to find something before I leave.

I already did an internship in NL for 5 months. There are lot of client services positions that require language skills, however I have to have a work permit. When I went to IND, they told me it would be very easy to apply if I have an employer who is willing to hire me and apply for work permit. However, I can't find one...

Ah, well you know you like Holland then, that's a good start; have you contacted the company you did your Internship with for any contacts they may have?  I can understand your desire to find something, but if you can't find anything yourself at the moment, then you already know it will be difficult - I don't think potential employers look at this forum.

That said, I know it's not impossible as you say your partner will support you financially and there are jobs there if you have the desired skills/qualifications, my daughter just got a good job within a fortnight, but she didn't have to go through the visa issues you'll face (she has a Dutch passport).

I'd suggest you contact some of the head-hunting companies in Holland to get their view on your employability; they are the ones who will give you the straight advice you need.  Word of warning; you shouldn't need to pay for this advice, I'd be very wary of anybody who wants you to pay anything for advice, they get paid by finding you work, not the other way round.

One last thing - learn Dutch, apart from the social benefits, it will open up more work avenues for you.

Good luck.

It seems that the companies  which you've contacted are not into the hassle to proceed the work permit.
If they do, they have to convince the IND that you are the right person and they are not able to find a Dutch citizen for the job.  And internship is different than a "real" job...