Following the recent British referendum on secession from the EU, many British citizens living in the Netherlands have been left feeling unsure about their future rights for working and living in the Netherlands. For that reason, a Brexit Information Point has been installed at the Expatcenter Amsterdam, which will help to answer any questions raised by British citizens already living in the Netherlands or those moving here. Although it's currently unclear when Britain will leave the EU, and if so, under what terms, the Expatcenter can assure both international employees and employers in Amsterdam that we'll keep you up to date throughout the Brexit process and negotiations.

Mayor's Meeting

We would also like to invite British citizens to attend a special 'Mayor's Meeting' taking place at Amsterdam City Hall on Monday, 18 July. Representatives from the Expatcenter will be joined by Eberhard van der Laan, Mayor of Amsterdam, to discuss the Brexit situation in person. Amsterdam's Mayor and Alderpersons feel strongly about the importance of internationals to Amsterdam and are keen to work closely with British citizens and businesses over the coming period – both in terms of answering the most prominent questions based on what is currently known, and learning more about the concerns of British citizens to best determine how any future issues can be resolved.

Sign up today! There is a limited amount of places, so please register before noon on Friday, 15 July.

>> Read more about the programme of the Mayor's Meeting and register to attend
>> Turn to the Expatcenter's Brexit Information Desk for advice

We are delighted to announce that Expatcenter Amsterdam and the municipality of Diemen signed a cooperation document on 23 June 2016. It sees Diemen joining Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Hilversum and Velsen as an official partner in our expanding initiative to simplify procedures for expats throughout the region.

This is fantastic news for highly skilled migrants and EU citizens choosing Diemen as their base, as they will now be able to make full use of the Expatcenter's customer-oriented services for residence permits and registration.

>> Learn more about the cooperation between the Expatcenter and Diemen

The Amsterdam region recently launched the Deltaplan Internationaal Onderwijs MRA, an initiative to investigate the issue of waiting lists for placements at international schools in the Amsterdam Area. Its long-term goal is to ensure there are sufficient places at international schools for the growing number of international families choosing to live and work in the region, by expanding the capacity of existing schools and by opening new international schools.

One immediate solution, however, is to release the current availability of places at all international schools in the region. Updated enrolment availability figures for international schools in the Amsterdam Area are published on I amsterdam's Local Portal at least once per month. This provides essential insight for international parents exploring the options available to their child.

>> View the latest enrolment availability figures

Another key step in introducing internationals to the Dutch education system was completed last month. The website known in Dutch as the 'Schoolwijzer' is now available in English, titled the School Finder. The aim of the site is to help parents find the right school for their children, both in terms of nearby primary schools, preschool options and also secondary schools. The School Finder site also provides information about education in Amsterdam, the rules for enrolment and supplementary brochures.

>> Discover how to find the right school for your children

Last month the Expatcenter and the Kamer van Koophandel Amsterdam launched a collaboration to host a dedicated information session about starting a business in the Netherlands. This free event proved to be a great success, introducing internationals to essential topics such as types of businesses, taxes, international trade, visas and how you can find help to get started.

Due to its popularity, this will become a recurring event, with the next information session likely to take place in September. If you'd like to guarantee a spot at this session you can already register your interest.

>> Sign up for the next 'Starting a Business' information session

Alongside the Expatcenter's services for internationals arriving in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, in recent years our Partnership Programme has evolved into an expansive group of service partners working to help expats in the region.

All of our partners communicate in English, have experience working with expats and have verifiable references from other international clients. On 1 July, the latest group of businesses and service providers joined our Partnership Programme.

>> Meet our new partners and discover how they can help you

 

In June, the Expatcenter launched an official partnership with ACCESS, a long-running volunteer organisation that serves the international community in the Netherlands. This cooperation sees the launch of a dedicated ACCESS Helpdesk within the Expatcenter's office, undoubtedly extending our ability to help internationals settle into life in the Amsterdam Area quickly and easily.

If you require help or advice, the ACCESS Helpdesk in the Expatcenter is open on Monday & Wednesday from 09:00-13:00; Tuesday & Thursday from 13:00-17:00; and Friday from 09:00-17:00.

>> Learn more about how ACCESS can help you

Experience the wonder and magic of Cirque Éloize this summer as the French Canadian contemporary circus troupe return to Amsterdam's Royal Theatre Carré. Their euphoric hit show 'iD' has been described as 'West Side Story gone hip-hop circus', so expect some urban beats, world-class acrobatics and a particularly high-tech production of this timeless boy-meets-girl story. It was a big seller when it stopped off in the city last summer, so book your tickets now.

See 'iD' performed on various dates from 27 July to 7 August 2016.

>> Find out more and buy tickets