You won't find a job. There is great unemployment at the moment in the Netherlands and even highly skilled people have difficulties finding a job. If you happen to be an unskilled worker, you have to compete with numbers of Eastern European people that come over here to work, fully legal because they are EU-citizens. But in the off chance you do find a job and get a working/residence permit: know that the Netherlands is one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in. Minimum wages are at around 900 euro, which is a third of what renting an apartment in Amsterdam would cost. Compulsory health insurance costs around 90 euros a months. The price of travelling by public transport (per kilometer) is equal to travelling by car. Buying an average car will include about 30% tax, on top of the regular 21% value added tax you pay on any product you buy. A litre of petrol is between 8 to 10 times more expensive than in the US and consists for 95% of tax. A small beer (20 cl) in a cafe costs 2 euro. A quarter pounder meal with a medium cola costs 7 euro and the large cola is only a third of the US large cola's size. At a bare minimum, living outside the main 'cities' of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, you will need about 20.000 euro net income a year, which will allow you to not die. If you want to live at a reasonable standard and for instance would want to own a car, you will need at least double or triple that net income. Oh, one more thing: If you come over, please call our country 'The Netherlands' and not 'Holland', because calling it 'Holland' is like calling the US 'New Jersey'. And please also remember that there is about 15,500 square miles more of the Netherlands outside Amsterdam.
@ Heather: Talk to the school you are attending about partner schools in the Netherlands. Ask about internships which might allow you to become qualified/licensed to practice in the Netherlands. I still think a Master's degree won't be enough, and especially if you do not fluently speak at least one other major language.
There ARE traumatized refugee populations all over Europe and possibly you can find an organization which assists them and which will do the paperwork for you to practice in Europe. At least working with refugees.
Good luck!
A US citizen needs a work visa to work in the EU. You need advanced educational and professional qualifications plus be able to fluently speak/read/write the local language to get a work visa. Unless you have the qualifications the only realistic way for you to stay in the EU long-term is to attend university on a student visa.
Really.
Unless you qualify for an employment visa, you won't be moving to Amsterdam or any other city in any EU country.
YOu won't get a visa.
