Clinical psychologists with foreign degrees and no Dutch language

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Assuming yours is a medical field, then you will need to be registered on the BIG register in order to work anywhere in the Netherlands; this link will take you to their website.

One thing that will cause you a major issue is your Dutch.  There is a section in there "Proof of language proficiency"; I strongly suggest you read it and consider the implications.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

It will be very difficult the competiition is already fierce and without being fluent in Dutch you will not have a chance to land a  job.
And yes you have to be registered in the BIG-register.

Hey Mateo,

As a music therapist, i can tell you that without being fluent in Dutch, it will be very difficult for you. I am not sure about your diplomas since its not my field.

Do you mind sharing which agencies you have contacted? I have been trying to find a job in an international institution but it seems to be very hard for me.

Hope all goes well for you.

Regards,
Katie

Hey Katie,

The agency I contacted is called Kuhler and Partners: https://www.internationalmentalhealth.nl/

Best of luck with your search!

Matteo

matteotdpc wrote:

Hey Katie,

The agency I contacted is called Kuhler and Partners: https://www.internationalmentalhealth.nl/

Best of luck with your search!

Matteo

Good luck! It would be perfect for you.

Must admit I had never heard of a music therapist and was pretty sceptical; so, I asked my wife who is a nurse, she put me right.  I was surprised to hear that her father who is in a care home in the Netherlands has undergone music therapy for the past 12 months and it has really brought him around from his mental health issues.  So, I apologise for my ignorance and I wish you all the best of luck in developing your careers.

The bottom line here is if anybody wants a decent job in the Netherlands, then you really need to speak Dutch.  Yes, there are multi-nationals and yes, many Dutch people speak English, but life around you is in Dutch, the things around you are Dutch.

Your point about needing to speak Dutch makes sense; especially for a language based profession.

Would you perchance be able to recommend a private Dutch language school/tuition/classes? In light of your point, I feel that learning Dutch would need to be a top priority for me. Plus it is always nice to be able to speak to the locals in their own tongue.

Thanks,

Matteo

matteotdpc wrote:

Your point about needing to speak Dutch makes sense; especially for a language based profession.

Would you perchance be able to recommend a private Dutch language school/tuition/classes? In light of your point, I feel that learning Dutch would need to be a top priority for me. Plus it is always nice to be able to speak to the locals in their own tongue.

Thanks,

Matteo

Hi again.

I learnt by speaking it, with my wife correcting me.  There is a Dutch Government-sponsored thing called "Naar Nederland"; this link takes you to the website.  Assuming you're a Brit, it's actually not aimed at people like yourself, but what it does is give you a very basic beginning; there are also some examples on YouTube (just search for NaarNederland).

Once you get there; here's a link you can follow up on.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

matteotdpc wrote:

Your point about needing to speak Dutch makes sense; especially for a language based profession.

Would you perchance be able to recommend a private Dutch language school/tuition/classes? In light of your point, I feel that learning Dutch would need to be a top priority for me. Plus it is always nice to be able to speak to the locals in their own tongue.

Thanks,

Matteo

The best and fastest way to learn Dutch is this institute: Language Institute Regina Coeli

Hi Cynic, I'm not a Brit, I'm Italo-slovenian so hopefully I'll be able to capitalise on my dual-mothertoungue upbringing, and experience of learning other languages, when embarking on learning Dutch. Thanks for sharing the links, they look useful.

Wonderful, thank you, Ramses.

Hi

I have studied my Counselling Psychology Masters from Mumbai, India and then I did my Masters in Applied Child Psychology from Nottingham Trent University in UK. I was looking at prospects of working in Netherland as a therapist. Would that be possible?

Hi
I have studied my Counselling Psychology Masters from Mumbai, India and then I did my Masters in Applied Child Psychology from Nottingham Trent University in UK. I was looking at prospects of working in Netherland as a therapist. Would that be possible?
-@Anks94

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If you can speak Dutch and your diplomas are recognised by BIG, yes, perfectly possible.

I hope this helps.

Cynic

Expat Team

Hello,

I'm looking to relocate to Netherlands in about a years time as my husband is being posted there for work. I have a Masters in Educational Psychology from Australia, and currently work in Singapore as an Educational Psychologist (also known as a School Psychologist in some places I believe). I am effectively bilingual in English and Mandarin, and am currently learning Dutch (but don't foresee myself being fluent anytime soon). I'm seeking info on what work opportunities there are in Netherlands. I am open to working in international schools/special schools as a teaching assistant/therapist/counsellor, if that is an option.  Keen to link up with anyone with similar experiences! Thank you!

Hello,
I'm looking to relocate to Netherlands in about a years time as my husband is being posted there for work. I have a Masters in Educational Psychology from Australia, and currently work in Singapore as an Educational Psychologist (also known as a School Psychologist in some places I believe). I am effectively bilingual in English and Mandarin, and am currently learning Dutch (but don't foresee myself being fluent anytime soon). I'm seeking info on what work opportunities there are in Netherlands. I am open to working in international schools/special schools as a teaching assistant/therapist/counsellor, if that is an option. Keen to link up with anyone with similar experiences! Thank you!
-@Lynne_H

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Try joining LinkedIn and reaching out to your peers already in the Netherlands.

I hope this helps.

Cynic

Expat Team

Hello,
I'm looking to relocate to Netherlands in about a years time as my husband is being posted there for work. I have a Masters in Educational Psychology from Australia, and currently work in Singapore as an Educational Psychologist (also known as a School Psychologist in some places I believe). I am effectively bilingual in English and Mandarin, and am currently learning Dutch (but don't foresee myself being fluent anytime soon). I'm seeking info on what work opportunities there are in Netherlands. I am open to working in international schools/special schools as a teaching assistant/therapist/counsellor, if that is an option. Keen to link up with anyone with similar experiences! Thank you!
-@Lynne_H

To work in the Netherlands, and specifically in your field and similar, you need to have at least level B2 Dutch which means almost fluent

As you already said you won't reach that level anytime soon, your options are limited.

Working with or in an international school or settings might your best option.

Besides that, you have to legalise and accepted your diploma's and certifications.

You can get more information if you visit www.duo.nl

Hi! I am a registered and licensed clinical psychologist from India, with three Indian degrees. I am looking for job as a psychotherapist/clinical psychologist in Netherlands. I understand that I must get registered at the BIG registry. Can you tell me how long the whole procedure takes? I am also not proficient at Dutch. 

Are here any jo oppurtunities for English speaking therapists such as me?

What are my options to start a private practice?

Is there any other way I can work in Netherlands?

Hi! I am a registered and licensed clinical psychologist from India, with three Indian degrees. I am looking for job as a psychotherapist/clinical psychologist in Netherlands. I understand that I must get registered at the BIG registry. Can you tell me how long the whole procedure takes? I am also not proficient at Dutch.
Are here any jo oppurtunities for English speaking therapists such as me?
What are my options to start a private practice?
Is there any other way I can work in Netherlands?
-@SAGEAU

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

You already understand the requirement to get your qualifications recognised by BIG and then get registered; these rules apply pretty much across the whole EU; as is the requirement to speak the native language of the country where you wish to practice, in this case, you must learn to speak Dutch to a high standard.

My advice is to join something like LinkedIn and speak to your peers already working in the Netherlands; find out from them how they did it and who may be hiring.

How long does it take; as you don't currently speak Dutch, it may take a while; my advice is to speak to BIG; their contact details are on their website and this link will take you straight to it.

I hope this helps.

Cynic

Expat Team