NLIST
NLIST is a Dutch recruitment agency that recruits international technical professionals, primarily from South Africa, and places them at Dutch enterprises in engineering, maintenance, and IT, handling full visa, housing, and relocation services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersMeppel, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NLIST does
NLIST is a Dutch recruitment and staffing agency founded in 2018 and headquartered in Meppel, Netherlands, with a second office in Haarlem. The company specializes in recruiting international technical professionals — primarily from South Africa — and placing them at Dutch enterprises in three focus areas: engineering, maintenance, and IT. NLIST sources candidates at vocational, Bachelor, and Master levels and manages the full lifecycle from candidate identification through to client onboarding, positioning itself as a specialist in a Dutch labor market characterized by more than 60,000 unfilled technical positions.
The firm's underlying operational model is end-to-end international secondment rather than a technology platform: candidates are matched to Dutch client vacancies via a "Best-Fit Matching Principle," then NLIST handles immigration sponsorship (leveraging its Erkend Referent IND recognition), housing, Dutch bank account opening, BSN registration, health insurance, language classes, school/daycare placement, and community integration. The company holds SNA-Keurmerk (NEN-440-1) payroll compliance certification and VCU safety certification, enabling compliant deployment of placed technicians into industrial client sites. Its 32+ client roster spans multinational industrial, food processing, chemical, manufacturing, IT services, and construction companies including GEA, Tetra Pak, Akzo Nobel, Scania, Cargill, DXC Technology, and SPIE.
NLIST generates revenue through professional services fees on placements and ongoing contractor deployments to Dutch client companies, with pricing negotiated per placement and reported by clients as competitive. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting Dutch companies in technical sectors, supported by a bilingual (English/Dutch) website and LinkedIn presence. NLIST operates as a portfolio company of The Specialist Group, a strategic operating parent providing shared services and direction. The firm employs approximately 21 team members across managing partners, consultants, recruiters, operations, field management, relocation, and backoffice functions.
NLIST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NLIST
- Legal name
- NLIST
- Website
- https://nlist.nl/en
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- NLIST is a Dutch recruitment agency that recruits international technical professionals, primarily from South Africa, and places them at Dutch enterprises in engineering, maintenance, and IT, handling full visa, housing, and relocation services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NLIST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technical Staffing and Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB), Recruiting Administration Outsourcing (Recruitment Support, Scheduling, Onboarding Ops) (BPACAKAG), Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL)
Keywords
Where NLIST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Meppel
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
NLIST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Staffing and Recruitment Services: NLIST recruits international technical professionals and places them at Dutch companies. The company earns fees by successfully placing candidates at client organizations. They offer both direct placement and contractor services for engineering, maintenance, and IT roles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom recruitment services with competitive rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
NLIST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NLIST is a recruitment agency that recruits international technical professionals (primarily from South Africa) at vocational, Bachelor, and Master level and places them with Dutch client companies in engineering, maintenance, and IT roles. The service includes end-to-end relocation and settlement support covering visa sponsorship, housing, Dutch bank accounts, BSN numbers, health insurance, language classes, and social integration, so candidates can work without worries and clients receive full dedication immediately.
Product overview
NLIST is a recruitment agency specializing in international technical professionals for the Dutch market. The company operates as a single unified service offering: international recruitment and deployment of technicians in three focus areas (engineering, maintenance, and IT). NLIST recruits candidates from abroad (primarily South Africa) with vocational, Bachelor, or Master-level education, arranges their relocation to the Netherlands, and places them with leading Dutch clients. The core service includes handling visa processes, housing, Dutch bank accounts, BSN numbers, health insurance, language classes, and social integration support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- International Technical Recruitment & Deployment Recruitment and placement of international technical professionals (vocational, Bachelor, or Master level, primarily from South Africa) into engineering, maintenance, and IT roles at Dutch client companies. The service is delivered on an exclusivity model where the client has a dedicated window over presented candidates before they are opened to other clients.
- End-to-End Relocation and Settlement Support Comprehensive relocation services bundled with placement, covering flight and transportation, visa process and sponsorship, housing, Dutch bank account setup, BSN number registration, health insurance, Dutch language classes, school and daycare for children, and introductions to the South African community in the Netherlands, enabling candidates to start working without worries and clients to expect full dedication immediately.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60,000+ unfilled technical positions in the Netherlands creating significant demand for international recruitment solutions
Companies that use NLIST
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NLIST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
NLIST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KH EngineeringcoreEngineering company that uses NLIST's recruitment services to source technical professionals for their operations
- Tetra PakcoreGlobal food processing and packaging company that partners with NLIST for technical staffing needs
- Brinks ComponentsminorCompany that uses NLIST's staffing services for technical personnel
- IV groepminorEngineering group utilizing NLIST's recruitment services
- Akzo NobelcoreMajor chemical company that uses NLIST's staffing services for technical professionals
- RemiaminorFood industry company utilizing NLIST's recruitment services
- Van Merksteijn InternationalminorInternational company using NLIST for technical staffing solutions
- SCANIAcoreCommercial vehicles manufacturer that partners with NLIST for technical professionals
- TriviumminorCompany utilizing NLIST's recruitment services
- DXC TechnologycoreGlobal IT services company that uses NLIST to recruit international IT professionals for the Netherlands
- Crown Van GelderminorPaper and packaging company using NLIST's staffing services
- Imperial BrandscoreGlobal tobacco and next-generation products company utilizing NLIST's recruitment services
- GEAcoreMajor industrial engineering and refrigeration company that uses NLIST for technical staffing
- Sherwin WilliamsminorGlobal paints and coatings company utilizing NLIST's recruitment services
- Farm DairyminorDairy farming company using NLIST for technical personnel
- EquanscoreMulti-technical services company that partners with NLIST for technical staffing
- Croonwolter&droscoreTechnical services company (now part of Equans) using NLIST's recruitment services
- CargillcoreGlobal food corporation that uses NLIST for technical staffing solutions
- IJssel TechnologiecoreTechnical services company (now part of SPIE) that uses NLIST's recruitment services
- SPIEcoreIndependent European market leader for multi-technical services in buildings, facilities and industries that partners with NLIST
- Facta ElektrotechniekminorElectrical engineering company using NLIST's recruitment services
- FactaminorCompany utilizing NLIST's staffing services
- MorssinkhofcorePlastics manufacturing company that uses NLIST for well-trained and experienced technical personnel
- ViveraminorCompany using NLIST's recruitment services
- BAMminorRoyal BAM Group, construction and engineering company, utilizing NLIST's staffing services
- JVZ IngenieursminorEngineering firm using NLIST's recruitment services
- DPG MediaminorMedia company utilizing NLIST's technical staffing services
- Ammeraal BeltechminorConveyor belt and belting solutions company using NLIST's recruitment services
- AKOSminorCompany utilizing NLIST's staffing services
- SodexominorMultinational food services and facilities management company using NLIST's recruitment services
- Tebulo EngineeringminorEngineering company using NLIST's recruitment services
- Schindler LiftenminorElevator and escalator company (Schindler) using NLIST's staffing services
- The Specialist GroupcoreParent company of NLIST, providing strategic direction and shared services across specialist recruitment companies
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NLIST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TMC: Dutch tech/engineering consultancy and staffing firm placing highly educated technical professionals with industrial and tech clients in the Netherlands — same end-customer base and technical-talent focus.
- Undutchables: Dutch recruitment agency specializing in placing international (non-Dutch) professionals with Dutch employers across technical and professional roles — directly comparable to NLIST's niche of international technical recruitment into the Netherlands.
- Together Abroad: Netherlands-based agency focused on international recruitment and relocation support, helping foreign professionals find jobs in the Netherlands — overlapping target customer (Dutch employers, foreign candidates) and value proposition.
- Xelvin: Dutch technical staffing specialist focused on engineering and technical professionals, including international candidates — comparable niche and target customers to NLIST.
- Orange Careers: Dutch international recruitment firm that places foreign professionals (especially technical/engineering) with Dutch companies and assists with relocation — directly comparable business model to NLIST.
Broad incumbents
- Randstad: Global staffing leader with significant Dutch operations across generalist and technical staffing — overlaps with NLIST on technical placement but at vastly greater scale and broader scope.
- Hays: Global specialist recruitment firm with strong presence in technical, engineering and IT roles — a broader incumbent competing for similar Dutch technical placement mandates.
- ManpowerGroup: World's third-largest staffing firm operating extensively in the Netherlands across technical and industrial staffing — a broad incumbent with overlapping customer base.
- Michael Page: Global professional recruitment firm with Dutch operations placing engineers, technicians and IT professionals — overlapping target customers and roles with NLIST, though at higher-end professional positions.
Others
- The Specialist Group: Parent company of NLIST and operator of multiple specialist staffing brands in the Netherlands — provides strategic context for NLIST's positioning within a broader specialist recruitment platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NLIST social profiles
Digital presenceNLIST compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
NLIST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NLIST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
NLIST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NLIST M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NLIST
What does NLIST do?
NLIST is a recruitment agency that recruits international technical professionals (primarily from South Africa) at vocational, Bachelor, and Master level and places them with Dutch client companies in engineering, maintenance, and IT roles. The service includes end-to-end relocation and settlement support covering visa sponsorship, housing, Dutch bank accounts, BSN numbers, health insurance, language classes, and social integration, so candidates can work without worries and clients receive full dedication immediately.
Is NLIST a public or private company?
NLIST is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was NLIST founded?
NLIST was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is NLIST based?
NLIST is headquartered in Meppel, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does NLIST make money?
One revenue line is on record: staffing and Recruitment Services.
Who are NLIST's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TMC, Undutchables, Together Abroad, Xelvin and Orange Careers. Broad incumbents are Randstad, Hays, ManpowerGroup and Michael Page. The Specialist Group is listed as an others.
Does NLIST have an API?
No public API is recorded for NLIST.
What industry is NLIST in?
NLIST's product category is Technical Staffing and Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAFAC, Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare), with a secondary code of BPACAGAB, Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.