Most promising professions in the Netherlands for 2025 revealed
By Simone Jacobs
The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) has released its annual overview of the most and least promising professions in the Netherlands. With the rise in AI, several language and creative professions are less in demand, while workers in technology, education and healthcare are highly sought after.
Jobs with growing demand in the Netherlands
Every year, UWV compiles a list of the most promising professions and the jobs that are not as promising. Some roles have and will continue to be in demand due to worker shortages, such as those in ICT, education, technology, healthcare, and transport and logistics.
The new up-and-coming professions in 2025 at the MBO level include work for hairdressers, consumer electronic technicians and dental technicians. At the higher professional or university level, people who work as daycare managers, administrators and spatial planning permit issuers are in high demand. Unsurprisingly, professional soldiers are also on the list as global tensions rise and countries expand their defences.
Most of the professions that are in high demand have a worker shortage. According to UWV, even though the shortage decreased in the first quarter, the labour market is still tight with more job openings than workers to fill them.
Dutch professions with poor job opportunities
While the tight labour market means some workers have an easier time finding a job, some professions have few job opportunities. “For example, the rise of AI not only affects administrative professions, but also creative professions and professions that work a lot with language,” wrote UWV.
Copywriters, translators and graphic designers in particular have been classified as “disadvantaged professions” due to AI. Other roles that have become increasingly popular among students and job seekers, such as animal caretakers and life coaches, also have fewer job opportunities due to high competition.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more