your journey

Your journey

Your journey to the Netherlands starts here, with information on what to expect from the moment you board the plane in Namibia.

CrossCare supports you throughout your entire journey, and we hope this information gives you a clearer picture of what to expect.

Read this carefully, as there are significant differences compared to Namibia, regarding culture, laws and regulations, social matters, work, and your rights as an employee.

Arrival in The Netherlands

Your flight ticket is arranged, and you are flying towards your new future with a few suitcases. You arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We fly with you, and upon arrival, a bus is waiting to take you to your new home. Bring a warm coat, because it can be very cold the moment you arrive.

You will likely be traveling as part of a group of approximately 10 nurses. It is possible that not everyone will be working in the same location or for the same healthcare organization.Once you arrive at your new home, you can put your things in your bedroom and, depending on the time, get some sleep.

In this photo, you see a group of nurses arriving at Schiphol in the Netherlands.

your house

In this photo, you see a typical Dutch residential building. It contains multiple apartments, and you might, for example, end up living in one of the apartments circled in red. You would usually share that apartment with two, three, or four other nurses.

The homes all meet Dutch legal requirements and are furnished with standard items such as a bed, TV, chairs, wardrobes, and tables. Cutlery, a refrigerator, and a washing machine are also provided.

 

your neighborhood

During the first few days, you will need to find your way around the Netherlands. Naturally, we will be there to help you.

We will show you where and how to do your grocery shopping, explain how we usually pay for everything digitally rather than using cash, and point out where to find public transport.

We will also show you how the buses run and how to cycle to work.

Nursing home

You will be working in a nursing home, a setting where many residents have dementia. You will work as part of a team of approximately 15 colleagues, specifically in the role of a qualified caregiver (known in the Netherlands as a ‘verzorgende IG’).

The nursing home is set up on a small scale but is part of the overall care organization. You could have as many as 5,000 colleagues there, spread across 20 to 50 different locations.

To work as a registered nurse in the Netherlands, you must obtain BIG registration, comparable to being a registered nurse in Namibia. However, this is not a simple process; you must first gain a thorough understanding of the entire Dutch healthcare system. Experience has shown us that achieving this within the first two years is certainly not feasible.

An example of a nursing home

Find your own house

The homes arranged for you are rental properties. You may continue living there, but you are also free to look for a new home yourself.

We can provide you with information, but the search and the decision-making are entirely up to you. If you find another home, you can move there. However, finding a suitable home is difficult and often takes a long time.

You cannot live with your family in the homes we arrange; unfortunately, this is prohibited by law. You will therefore need to find your own home for that purpose.

We will provide guidance and support whenever needed during the first three years. You can receive extra Dutch language training, and we are here to answer any questions you may have. We will assist and support you if you fall ill and are unsure what to do. We are also exploring ways to provide additional help for your return to Namibia after the three-year period.

This is something we are keen to do: offering you a future back in Namibia, with your family and in the villages you come from. Our program concludes after three years; should you return then, we will cover your flight costs and involve you in our projects in Namibia.

However, you also have the option to remain in the Netherlands. You are free to go wherever you wish. Under current regulations (as of 2026), work and residence permits in the Netherlands are temporary for the first five years. After that period, you may become eligible for a permanent residence permit. At that point, you would also be free to move within the Netherlands and seek employment with a different employer.

Currently, there are over 50,000 healthcare vacancies in the Netherlands that we are unable to fill with nurses. There is a massive shortage, which is expected to nearly double over the next ten years.

It is therefore important that we offer you our full three-year program. We believe that with three years of international experience and knowledge, you can build a bright future in Namibia, and we could certainly utilize that knowledge and experience there.

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