About Ir Olav's Globetrotters

Ir Olav's Globetrotters team, which has more than 30 years of combined experience in international recruiting, has facilitated the relocation of more than 400 highly skilled individuals from South Africa. The company has assisted scores of South Africans to relocate and find employment and has a host of useful tools available, including an e-book titled "Wanna Go Dutch?". The digital guide offers advice on topics such as the paperwork you'll need to gather, choosing a new home for your family, travelling with your pets, mock budgets, and settling into your new life in the Netherlands.

Ir Olav's Globetrotters managing partners Sonja Poortman and Diane van Galen Last explain that the Netherlands faces an increasing shortage of workers, not just engineers and technicians. In the first quarter of 2024, there were 110 vacancies for every 100 unemployed individuals. This was the tenth consecutive quarter with more jobs than workers, forcing companies to look abroad for their staffing solutions.

With extensive career opportunities and an excellent work-life balance, the Netherlands offers an attractive alternative to many South African professionals. The number of Highly Skilled Migrants who immigrated to the Netherlands from South Africa more than doubled year-on-year, from 900 in 2021 to 1860 in 2022, according to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS).

About Anene Britz

Anene, is a technical recruiter and talent management professional with 9 years’ of experience sourcing and securing talent for great businesses in South Africa and the Netherlands. She has worked in Engineering, IT, Manufacturing, FMCG and Finance. With a passion for building relationships, she believes that her place is to help others find theirs, locally and internationally.