Jake Ortega Pinas to Polder

Moving from the Philippines to the Netherlands.

I moved from Metro Manila to the Netherlands as a software engineer through direct hire. This is the practical playbook I wish existed in one place: the real process, real numbers, and honest context. Not agency marketing.

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What this covers

Direct Hire & Sponsor 6 Visa, DMW & Documents 5 Money, Salary & Tax 6 First 90 Days in NL 5 Culture & Family 4

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SPONSOR Direct Hire & Sponsor

Dutch Sponsor Check Checklist

Get the Dutch sponsor check checklist so you only apply to companies that can actually visa-sponsor you from the Philippines.

FIRST WEEK First 90 Days in NL

First 7 Days in NL Checklist

Get the first 7 days in NL checklist.

DIRECT COST First 90 Days in NL

Direct Hire Cost Breakdown

Get the direct hire cost breakdown for moving from the Philippines to the Netherlands.

DMW Visa, DMW & Documents

DMW Direct Hire Process Checklist

Get the DMW direct hire process checklist so you know exactly what to gather and file before your PH to NL move.

About this project

I am Jake Ortega, a senior frontend engineer in Vlaardingen, NL. I moved from Metro Manila through the direct hire route and have been writing down what I learned along the way.

Pinas to Polder is not a migration agency or a visa consultancy. It is a set of practical notes for Filipino tech workers going through the same process I did.

For engineering work and projects, see the main portfolio at jakeortega.nl.

Disclaimer: practical guidance from personal PH to NL relocation experience, not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Always verify with your employer, the IND, DMW, Belastingdienst, or a qualified adviser before making decisions.