Effective onboarding activities for international employees combine practical start-up support with clear expectations, fast access to tools, and help with settling in the Netherlands. For Highly Skilled Migrants, onboarding works best when you organize preboarding tightly, make the first week predictable, and include culture and compliance from day one.
The best approach differs by role and nationality, but the common thread is the same: remove uncertainty, make ownership clear, and arrange the basics early. This prevents delays in productivity and reduces stress upon arrival.
Below, you’ll find concrete activities per question that often work well for international teams in the Netherlands.
What are effective onboarding activities for international employees?
Effective onboarding activities for international employees are activities that support starting work and settling in at the same time: a clear plan, a buddy, quick IT access, a realistic first week, and guidance on Dutch essentials such as registration and health insurance. For Highly Skilled Migrants, this works especially well when you offer everything in clear steps and deadlines.
In practice, you can split onboarding into three tracks that run in parallel:
- Work: role, goals, tools, stakeholders, first deliverables
- People: team introductions, buddy, feedback cadence, psychological safety
- Netherlands: arrival essentials, appointments with the municipality and IND, BSN, bank, health insurance
Make it measurable without overdoing it: have the manager and employee create a 30-60-90 day plan together with concrete output, and schedule fixed check-ins in week 1, week 2, and week 4.
How do you set up preboarding for expats before the first working day?
Good preboarding for expats means removing all uncertainty before day 1 about the schedule, documents, the first working day, and practical matters in the Netherlands. For Highly Skilled Migrants, preboarding mainly helps by organizing appointments and dependencies early, so the employee can start right away after arrival and doesn’t get stuck in administration.
Use a simple preboarding checklist that you provide in a single email or portal:
- Day 1 schedule: start time, location, dress code, lunch, who will welcome you
- IT and access: ship or prepare laptop, accounts, MFA, VPN, email
- Documents: copy of passport, diplomas where needed, address details, emergency contact
- Relocation basics: temporary housing, route from the airport, first groceries
- Appointment planning: schedule municipality registration and IND appointment as early as possible
Also schedule a short video call with the manager and buddy in the week before the start date. This helps align expectations and gives the employee a familiar face on day 1.
Which activities work best in the first week at the office?
The best activities in the first week at the office are those that quickly provide clarity on priorities, people, and ways of working. For international employees, a predictable weekly agenda works well: fixed moments for team introductions, IT setup, security, and a first small deliverable. This builds trust and prevents information overload.
A practical week 1 setup:
- Day 1: welcome, office tour, IT setup, explanation of communication channels, buddy lunch
- Day 2: role and goals, stakeholder map, first task with a clear definition of done
- Day 3: product or customer introduction, processes, quality checks, security training
- Day 4: join team rituals, stand-up, review, pairing or shadowing
- Day 5: weekly reflection, questionnaire, plan for week 2, short demo or update
Keep it concrete: have the employee deliver one tangible result by the end of week 1, no matter how small. That helps them get a grip on expectations and pace.
How do you help international employees with culture, communication, and team integration?
You help international employees with culture, communication, and team integration by making norms explicit and creating safe moments to practice. Think clear agreements on feedback, meeting style, and decision-making, plus a buddy and fixed check-ins. For Highly Skilled Migrants, this works well because work culture in the Netherlands often feels more direct and more independent than they are used to.
Activities that often land well:
- Team working agreement: how quickly you respond on chat, how you schedule meetings, what is “urgent”
- Feedback cadence: weekly 1:1s, and an explanation of direct feedback without judgment
- Meeting etiquette: agenda in advance, room to ask questions, summarizing decisions
- Social integration: buddy activities, lunch roulette, introductions to key stakeholders
Also be honest about nuance: not every Dutch team is the same. So actively ask about previous work experiences and let the employee explain what works for them in terms of communication.
Which compliance and HR components belong in onboarding for highly skilled migrants?
Onboarding for highly skilled migrants includes HR and compliance components that ensure someone can work legally, is correctly set up on payroll, and quickly completes the basic Dutch administration. For Highly Skilled Migrants, this usually involves the residence permit via the highly skilled migrant scheme, registration steps after arrival, and employer obligations such as file building and duty of care.
Key items to check and plan:
- Residence permit: the employer applies for a residence permit with the IND via the highly skilled migrant route
- MVV and entry: whether someone can enter earlier depends on nationality and whether an MVV is required
- IND and municipality: registration in the BRP and collecting the residence document should both happen soon after arrival; the order differs by situation and municipality
- BSN and payroll: a BSN is often needed for processes, but timing varies by municipality and appointment availability
- Health insurance: anyone living or working in the Netherlands generally must take out Dutch health insurance within four months
Also pay attention to salary thresholds, as these are part of compliant employment under the highly skilled migrant scheme. As of 1 January 2026, three separate IND thresholds apply: highly skilled migrant ≥ 30 years: € 5,942, highly skilled migrant < 30 years: € 4,357, orientation year scheme: € 3,122. Which threshold applies depends on the employee’s category.
If the employer is a recognized sponsor, four obligations apply: reporting obligation, information obligation, administration obligation, and duty of care. Define internally who carries out which obligation so you’re not dependent on one person.
How All About Expats helps with onboarding international employees
We help you speed up onboarding for international employees by aligning immigration, employment, payroll, and practical settling-in steps. This is especially useful for Highly Skilled Migrants, because timing around the IND, municipality, BSN, and start date is often interconnected—and a single plan can prevent a lot of delay.
Specifically, you can rely on us for:
- Immigration support via the highly skilled migrant route, including coordination with IND processes and arrival planning
- Employment and payroll so that the contract, salary thresholds, and administration align logically
- Relocation support that makes the first weeks in the Netherlands manageable
Would you like to discuss an onboarding plan that fits your team and start dates, or do you want to know how recognized sponsorship works in your situation? Get in touch via contact us or view our explanation of immigration for employers.
