Netherlands among top destinations for international workers
The Netherlands has climbed back up the rankings securing 22nd place and recognition as one of the best countries worldwide for international professionals. While expats praise the country’s work culture and digital services, many continue to face hurdles with housing, healthcare, and building social connections.
Every year, InterNations publishes the Expat Insider Survey, which gathers the experiences of more than 10,000 expatriates living in 172 countries. For 2025, 46 destinations were evaluated based on 56 different factors, grouped into five major categories:
-
Quality of Life: leisure, travel, healthcare, safety, and environment
-
Ease of Settling In: culture, friendliness, and making friends
-
Working Abroad: career outlook, salaries, job security, and workplace culture
-
Personal Finance: cost of living and overall financial satisfaction
-
Expat Essentials: digital services, housing, and language
This year, Panama once again topped the list, with Colombia and Mexico following close behind. South Korea, Türkiye, and Kuwait landed at the bottom.
Strong work culture, weak housing and healthcare
The Netherlands advanced four spots compared to 2024, returning to its 2023 performance. Its strongest showing was in the Working Abroad Index, where it ranked fourth overall. Expats praised the Dutch work environment, career opportunities, and job security, bolstered by notable wage increases in the past year.
The country also scored well in digital accessibility. From government services to banking and cashless payments, expats report that navigating everyday admin tasks is relatively straightforward.
However, the positive impressions were overshadowed by struggles in two key areas: housing and healthcare. The Netherlands placed near the bottom for both, ranking 44th in housing and 40th in healthcare. Soaring rental prices and an ongoing housing shortage continue to frustrate newcomers, particularly in cities such as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, a shortage of general practitioners has left many residents without access to a family doctor, compounding concerns about affordability and quality of care.
Social integration is another challenge, with many internationals finding it difficult to connect with Dutch locals.
Best and worst countries for expats in 2025
According to the 2025 survey, the top five destinations for expats are:
-
Panama
-
Colombia
-
Mexico
-
Thailand
-
Vietnam
At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest-ranked countries were:
-
Germany
-
Finland
-
South Korea
-
Türkiye
-
Kuwait
