Can I find a minimum wage job in Amsterdam or Rotterdam without speaking Dutch?

Employment

I’m a 26yr old Asian from New Zealand planning to move to the Netherlands on a Working Holiday Visa for one year.

My main goal is to experience living in Europe and travel to other European countries on weekends and during holidays. I currently have around €30k in savings. I’m not expecting to grow my savings while I’m there, but I’d like to find work so they don’t disappear too quickly.

I have 4 years of experience working as a Graphic Designer and Digital Marketing Specialist, and I speak fluent English, Chinese, and Japanese (conversational).

I’ve heard that it can be quite difficult to find a job in the Netherlands without Dutch, especially in marketing, so I’m wondering how realistic it would be to find work. Even if it’s just a minimum-wage job in hospitality, retail, or something similar, would that generally be achievable?

I’m also hoping to rent a room for around €700 per month. Is that a realistic budget for Amsterdam or Rotterdam?

Thank you for reading!

Posted Jul 13, 2026, 10:28 AM UTC

11149
Loading comments…