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WorldEmp meets outgoing prime minister Dick Schoof during working visit to India
In the final week of his term as prime minister, Dick Schoof visited India. During a lunch with Dutch and Indian entrepreneurs, WorldEmp was represented by our colleague Jasper Fortuin. The event was organised by the Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Bengaluru. Shortly after this visit, Schoof stepped down and, on the following Monday, handed over the premiership to Rob Jetten.
During the session, Jasper outlined a clear picture: the Netherlands is ageing, many highly skilled professionals will retire in the coming years, while the demand for specialised knowledge keeps growing. Combined with the momentum of the India EU Free Trade Agreement, this creates an important window for Dutch organisations that are ready to look to India for additional capacity and expertise.
A Sustainable Alternative: Digital Knowledge Migrants
Jasper’s experience
“International professionals from India can significantly accelerate the growth of Dutch and European organisations,” Jasper explains. “At WorldEmp, we very consciously look beyond technical skills alone. Of course, knowledge and experience need to be right, but just as important is the question of how someone fits in with working with the Dutch in practice.
That is why we also discussed the well known Dutch directness at the table. In our selection and onboarding processes, we always address cultural differences explicitly. Not because one culture is better than another, but because it helps if colleagues working at a distance understand how we communicate, plan and give feedback. In the end, it is about cultural intelligence: can you move smoothly between different ways of working and still function as one team?”
WorldEmp: international colleagues without extra pressure on the Netherlands
The core of our message to the prime minister was simple: Dutch organisations can continue to grow with highly skilled colleagues working remotely, without always needing physical labour migration. Many roles, from software developer and data specialist to engineer, draughtsman and document controller, can be carried out perfectly from India.
This way, organisations gain access to scarce expertise, while the pressure on housing, general practitioners and schools in the Netherlands does not increase further. WorldEmp ensures that these international professionals are strong in their field and fit seamlessly with working with the Dutch.