ECL for Internationals and Business

The Expat Centre Leiden provides a warm welcome to internationals and their families who come to live or work in our region in many ways. Moreover, the business sector can also help to attract international talent because knowledge-workers are needed, especially now.

Leiden is happening!

In 2016, the Expat Centre Leiden (ECL) was established as one of the projects of Economie071 to improve the business climate. In our region - Leiden, Katwijk, Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest, Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude - the most highly educated people work and live. Companies respond to this by establishing themselves near their employees. Because of this synergy, the presence of knowledge migrants has become a requirement for the proper functioning of our regional knowledge economy.Welcoming expats is important to give them a flying start. Since its introduction, the Expat Centre Leiden has professionalised, established itself and continued independently in 2019. While the focus in the initial phase was mainly on internationals, it has now been expanded to include companies in order to improve the business climate even further. This makes it an indispensable gateway for talent. The ECL is also a knowledge institute: it conducts research and represents the region in local and national bodies. There is cooperation on national, provincial and regional levels to attract and retain international talent in the Leiden region.

Advice and workshops

Our region is attractive because of its central location, its beautiful city centre, its surroundings with greenery and beaches and because of its success in life, sciences and health. Furthermore, the space sector is also expanding. Corine van der Ceelen, manager of the Expat Centre, sums up: "Leiden is happening!" As soon as knowledge-workers want to work or live in our region, the Expat Centre is there to make that process run smoothly. The Centre focuses on four pillars. Firstly, government services. This includes the arrangement of the BSN registration for internationals. Corine van der Ceelen and her team also take care of the provision of information for both knowledge-workers and the business community that already works with internationals or would like to start working with them.

Together with our partners, we have all the answers.

"We provide information on housing, insurance, schools and associations. There are various afternoons where people can simply walk in for advice, and we hold regular workshops. We offer a welcome pack with fun books and send out newsletters. The municipality of Leiden knocks on our door if they want to distribute information among the internationals. We also help companies with issues such as Brexit or the war in Ukraine. A company recently asked for advice on hiring an employee from Ukraine: how does the process work precisely? "

Eye-opener

A network is subsequently also important. "After a week or two, when the suitcases are unpacked, and the expat is at work, the partner sits at home and thinks: what now? We also organise fun events for those family members, such as the monthly Meet&Mingles. Internationals, but also Dutch people, come to this event. It's so much fun as you see friendships develop. And finally, the business partners form the fourth pillar. The ECL works closely with various partners. "We are a small team and do not know everything ourselves. We depend on collaborations with partners who have their own specialism. For example, real estate agents who help expats and companies find housing, a law firm for legal issues, an office for taxes and a career coach. For each topic we guide expats or companies to our partners. For many companies it is an eye-opener that we want to show that we are there and can help." For companies, the Expat Centre also holds a walk-in morning at the Leiden Bio Science Park about hiring knowledge-workers. "Companies want to hire internationals. They see the importance of diversity within the team: a fresh look and more expertise. But when it comes to the process, they run into issues. Let us help and remove the barrier. Together with our partners, we have all the solutions."

Read the article in Dutch.