Dutch accounting firms are short on finance staff, and hiring locally is slow. Local hiring for mid-to-senior finance roles with IFRS or regulatory expertise can take two to four months. Nearshore talent can close that gap, but only if the provider understands Dutch accounting work. This guide covers what to check before you sign anything.
Nearshore or offshore: why the distinction matters
Nearshore usually means talent in a nearby country with a similar time zone and easy travel. For a Dutch firm, that means Europe. Offshore means talent further away, often on another continent.
Gapstars Finance recruits from two talent hubs. Lisbon, Portugal, is in Europe, one hour behind Amsterdam, and is the route we use for EU-sensitive contexts. Colombo, Sri Lanka, is further away and gives access to a larger talent pool. By the usual definition, Colombo is offshore. Ask any provider which hub your candidates come from, and what that means for working hours, communication, and client contact.
1. Dutch accounting knowledge
Software skills don’t replace domain knowledge. Look for experience with:
- Dutch GAAP (Dutch accounting standards) and annual accounts
- BTW (VAT) returns and Dutch tax workflows
- Bookkeeping standards your clients expect
IFRS experience is useful, but it doesn’t prove someone can handle Dutch SME accounts or statutory filings. Ask what the candidate has done with international clients, and ask what the provider does to close the gap. Gapstars’ talent in Colombo and Lisbon won’t arrive with Dutch experience. What they get is training.
The Gapstars Academy runs ongoing programmes on tools like Exact, Twinfield, Power BI, and Tableau, and brings Dutch practitioners to Colombo and Lisbon to train the team. New hires then go through a structured onboarding process that gets them up to speed quickly.
Gapstars places accounting-firm roles at every level: junior, medior, and senior accountants, assistant accountants, audit specialists, compilation accountants, payroll specialists, and bookkeepers.
2. Software compatibility
Name the platforms your firm uses daily: Exact Online, AFAS, Yuki, Twinfield, Caseware, or others. Gapstars’ teams work inside your own tools and ERP systems, the same way your in-house staff do.
3. Quality control
Ask who reviews the work, who catches errors, and who signs off on deliverables before they reach your client. With Gapstars, you define the role, we source and qualify candidates, and you make the final hire. Your reviewers stay in control of the output, and the remote team member works in your standups and tools.
4. Data protection
Your clients’ financial data needs strict handling. Confirm:
- GDPR compliance and where data is stored
- Access controls and confidentiality terms
- A data processing agreement (DPA) before any client data is shared
- Any international transfer safeguards, especially for non-EU talent
Gapstars is ISO certified. Contracts, payroll, and legal compliance are handled locally, and the Lisbon hub is available for EU-sensitive work.
5. Commercial model
Compare proposals on total cost, not just the monthly rate. Check:
- Fully loaded monthly cost
- Minimum commitment period
- Onboarding fees
- Replacement policy if a candidate isn’t the right fit
Choose a provider that’s transparent with pricing so you are not surprised at any stage. Gapstars Finance also offers transparent pricing.
6. Language and client contact
Decide early whether the remote team member works behind the scenes or speaks directly with Dutch-speaking clients. This changes the language skills you need, the onboarding time, and how you manage the role.
7. Start with a pilot
You don’t need to commit to a full team on day one. Most Gapstars clients start with a single hire and expand to a full team once that person has proven their value. You agree on what success looks like, test the hire on your real workflows, and decide on the next step together.
Use that first hire to test:
- Quality of work against your standards
- Speed and accuracy on your real workflows
- Communication and integration with your team
Expand only once the person meets the criteria you agreed at the start.
How Gapstars works
Gapstars Finance builds dedicated remote finance teams that work inside your organization, using your tools and ERP systems. We’ve been delivering embedded talent for 11+ years and have scaled 80+ companies. Our talent pool spans Sri Lanka and Portugal, with over 260,000 finance professionals across both hubs.
After hiring, a structured 90-day plan covers onboarding, cultural alignment, and performance feedback.
What clients say:
“Gapstars always says: it’s not a resource abroad, but a colleague who happens to be further away. And that’s exactly how it feels.” (Brian de Wit, accountant and partner, DHV Accountancy)
Read how this works in practice: How DHV Accountancy Built Senior-Level Capacity With Gapstars