Netherlands Jobs for South Africans: Technician Explains How Workers Can Bring Their Families

• An Afrikaner man living in the Netherlands shared a video explaining how SA workers can reunite with their spouses, partners and children abroad
• The video covered visa requirements, document apostilling, the MVV long-stay visa process and appointment backlogs at the Dutch embassy in South Africa
• Hundreds of South Africans and Namibians flooded the comments with trade qualifications and desperate pleas for work opportunities in the Netherlands

A South African expat living in the Netherlands has gone viral after sharing a detailed TikTok breakdown of how South African workers in the country can bring their families to join them, sparking an overwhelming response from people back home hoping to make the same move. TikTok user @jacvanderlinde posted the video on 28 October 2026, speaking in Afrikaans to walk viewers through the family reunification process step by step.

What the Netherlands visa process involves

He explained that his employer covers relocation and visa costs for employees, but those going the independent route need to come prepared with the right documentation. For married applicants, an apostilled marriage certificate is required. Unmarried couples, however, need an apostilled letter of no impediment supported by relationship evidence such as photographs and completed questionnaires. He noted the process typically takes between one and two months from start to finish.

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One of his key warnings was around timing. Due to existing backlogs at the Dutch embassy in South Africa, applicants should book their MVV long-stay visa appointments as early as possible to avoid unnecessary delays. The video drew an outpouring of comments from people across southern Africa, many sharing their trade qualifications and family situations in the hope of getting guidance or even job leads.

Watch the full Netherlands family visa explainer in the TikTok video here.

South Africans and Namibians respond with urgency

The comments reveal just how urgently many South Africans with skilled trades are seeking pathways to work and settle abroad, with the Netherlands emerging as one destination on their radar. The reactions ranged from hopeful to heartfelt. Here is what some had to say:

@Beauty so Beast asked:

"Hi, help julle Namibiers ook [Hi, do you help Namibians too]?"

@Kvano4 inquired:

"En as jy 40 is en n kwalified millwright met 18 jaar ondervinding [And what if you are 40 and a qualified millwright with 18 years of experience]?"

@Leatitia Vandenbergh wrote:

"Hi, amper geskel het 5 kiddies, kan ek 'n werk daad kry [Hi, I am almost divorced and have five kids. Can I get a job there]?"

@RUDI CLAASSENS shared:

"Hallo, ek is werkloos in Suid-Afrika, single, maar nodig werk dringend asb [Hello, I am unemployed in South Africa, single, and urgently need work, please]."

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@LONER commented:

"Ken jy jou help om oor te kom? Ek het nie baie ervaring in plaaswerk nie, maar ek ken tractore, ken ploeg en wil ook graag baie leer, maar sal enige werk doen. Mooi dagie verder [Can you help me come over? I don't have much experience in farm work, but I know how to operate tractors, I can plough, and I would love to learn a lot more. I will do any work. Have a nice day further]."

@Chanté added:

"Hi, hoop dit gaan goed. Ek is op soek na werk. Ek is qualified caregiver en my man is Red Seal, motor mechanic [Hi, I hope you are doing well. I am looking for work. I am a qualified caregiver, and my husband is a Red Seal motor mechanic]."

More articles about international job opportunities

• South African professionals eyeing Australia are urged to verify state job shortages and local accreditation rules first, as over 600,000 migrants cannot work in their trained fields.
• A South African expat living in the US defended the H-2B hospitality visa programme online, highlighting lucrative monthly earnings and covered accommodation, though social media users remained divided over the high cost of living in America.
• A Sotho woman working in China shared a step-by-step guide on landing a teaching job abroad—highlighting the need for a TEFL certificate, police clearance, and a valid passport.

Source: Briefly News