How can I get started?

Reach out through our contact form. We will listen to your needs, offer honest advice, and tailor a plan whether you are launching in the Netherlands or expanding across Europe.

Can I apply for a job here?

Yes. Browse open positions on our vacancies page and apply directly. Our recruiters will review your application and be in touch.

What services do you provide?

We offer five core services: Recruitment, Employer of Record and payroll, HR consultancy and strategy, Managed Specialist Teams, and Data and analytics. Visit our services hub for a full overview.

What makes Octagon different?

With 39+ years in international HR, we combine deep knowledge of Dutch and European employment law with hands-on support. Our team of 35+ nationalities understands the challenges international employees face. We act as an extension of your team, with a personal touch. Read more on our Why Octagon page.

Which countries do you operate in?

We operate across six European markets: the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and Cyprus.

What is an Employer of Record?

An Employer of Record (EOR) lets you hire across Europe without setting up a local entity. Octagon becomes the legal employer, handling contracts, payroll, tax, and compliance. See the EOR definition, our EOR and payroll service, or the EOR cost calculator.

What is the 30% ruling?

See the full 30% ruling definition, including 2026 thresholds and the phased reduction. Estimate your savings with our 30% ruling calculator.

Do you provide payroll services?

Yes. We process payroll across all six European markets, including wage tax filings, social security contributions, holiday allowance, pension administration, and year-end reporting. Payroll is part of our Employer of Record and payroll service.

Which industries do you specialise in?

We specialise in four core verticals: Aerospace, Defence, Technology and innovation (covering AI, deep tech, quantum, health tech, and semiconductor), and International organisations.

Are you ISO compliant?

Our information security management system is ISO 27001-aligned: we operate the controls the standard specifies, but we are not externally audited against ISO 27001. We maintain full GDPR compliance and hold an active IND Recognised Sponsor status for HSM visa processing.

Why Octagon

What makes us different

International HR specialist for regulated sectors since 1987. Dutch and European employment-law depth, tech-enabled delivery, and a client roster built in the Hague international corridor.

Legacy since 1987

39 years of continuous operation

Octagon has operated from The Hague since 1987, building HR services for Shell, the ESA ecosystem (ESTEC, ESA HQ, ESRIN, ESOC, ECSAT), Europol, OPCW, Swisscom, and AHF. Three decades inside the international-organisations corridor means we already know your counterparties, your clearance requirements, and the local authorities by name.

Entities

Six European markets we run directly

We run our own entities in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Cyprus. The entity that signs your employment contract is the entity you met in the sales call, not a subcontracted local partner. We compete on jurisdiction depth, not country count: compliant Dutch payrolling with chain-liability mitigation, in-house 30% ruling and HSM visa processing, IND Recognised Sponsor status, and PAYE with IR35 coverage in the UK.

Regulated-sector specialism

Built for aerospace, defence, and international organisations

We focus on sectors where generalists cannot operate: aerospace and space, defence and classified programmes, international organisations, and technology. Our specialists know the AIVD and MIVD clearance processes, the privileges and immunities framework of Hague-based institutions, and the CAO structures that apply to sector-specific employers. This is the moat: operational experience inside regulated environments, not a platform UI.

Enabled by tech

Legacy firm, modern operating model

Thirty-nine years of institutional knowledge, delivered through a tech-enabled stack: a 263-entry Dutch HR glossary, compliance and cost calculators for EOR, the 30% ruling, visa eligibility, and contractor risk, real-time payroll reporting, and an AI-ready content infrastructure. Tech makes the expertise accessible; the expertise is what you are paying for.

How we are different

Not a platform. Not a volume agency. Not a consultancy.

Three markets compete for the same buyer. Octagon sits in none of them.

Not a global EOR platform

Regulated-sector depth, not country count

Global platforms sell presence in 150-plus countries through subcontracted partners. Octagon runs six entities directly and brings CAO, Wet VBAR, and IND sponsor depth that platform support queues cannot match.

Not a volume staffing agency

Specialist roles, not headcount

Volume agencies bill on weekly requisitions and generalist sourcing. Octagon places security-cleared engineers, international-organisation staff, and 30% ruling hires that volume firms never see.

Not a strategy consultancy

Hands-on delivery, not slide decks

Strategy firms advise; Octagon operates. We sign the employment contracts, run the payroll, process the visas, and carry the compliance liability that consultancy reports hand back to you.

How we work

We don't hide things in the contract. Clear terms, agreed up front, no surprises at renewal.

Six countries, one provider. Our own entities in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Cyprus mean your team runs under one relationship rather than a network of locally-sourced vendors you'd need to coordinate yourself.

We don't cut corners on CAO adherence, pension contributions, or holiday allowance. These are statutory and not negotiable.

A personal approach to every enquiry. You're heard, understood, and business continues as usual — whether you're onboarding a first hire or escalating a compliance question at month eighteen.

Curious about scope or compliance for your setup? Get in touch. The EOR cost calculator and contractor-risk checker are also there if you want to work through the numbers yourself first.

Deep dives

Explore the detail behind our approach.

Personal service, not a platform

Why Octagon's named-expert model outperforms global EOR platform ticket systems. Direct access to senior management, named account managers, and same-day response as standard.

One contract, six countries

How Octagon's single-contract model simplifies multi-country employment. One invoice, one point of contact, and consistent standards across the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Cyprus.

Deep sector expertise

Why generalist HR providers fail in aerospace, defence, and international organisations. Octagon built this sector-specific knowledge over decades of operating inside these environments.

Solutions

Where are you in your journey?

Three persona routes with the services, timeline, and outcome for each.

Technology scale-ups entering Europe

First Dutch hire on compliant payroll typically in five business days. No BV, no notary. 30% ruling and HSM visa handled from day one.

See the scale-up solution

UK companies expanding to the Netherlands

One partner managing PAYE in London and Dutch payroll in The Hague. IR35 and Wet VBAR under a single contract.

See the cross-Channel solution

Dutch SMEs and Wet VBAR

Contractor reclassification from January 2026. Compliant Dutch payrolling with chain-liability mitigation.

Assess your exposure

Testimonials

What our clients say

“

When one of our sales representatives in the Netherlands was called back to the MOL Logistics headquarters abroad, we needed to find somebody to take over their accounts. We worked with other recruitment agencies to find candidates, but Octagon Professionals was the only one who expanded their search outside of the Netherlands until we found the perfect fit.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

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Octagon and AHF have always shared similar values, which is why we think of them whenever we need to grow our team. I'm impressed that an organisation like Octagon is so cognizant of opportunities to make a positive impact on the global community. It's always a pleasure to be able to unite with the Octagon team and support each other for a good cause.

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It's great to have a business partner like Octagon. Since our very first meeting, Octagon supported us with everything we needed in the HR field. From payrolling several hundred professionals worldwide to supporting with daily HR tasks. Octagon is and still remains a great partner for us.

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Octagon has enabled us to work seriously and find the right candidates. They are serious about finding the right cultural match: one of the most important aspects for a relatively small team like us. That's why the Octagon team is great for any growing team, or company trying to grow quickly.

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We needed to hire two sales managers with very specific experience, and on very short notice. The sales managers we hired thanks to Octagon's recruitment team are still contributing towards the growth and expansion of our business. I would recommend Octagon's broad talent portfolio and precise service to any company looking to hire skilled people that fit your needs exactly.

“