Dutch advisory council calls for more work opportunities for asylum seekers, Ukrainians

The skills of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced Ukrainians are not being fully utilized in the Netherlands. In a new advisory report, the Social and Economic Council (SER) says these newcomers should be given more opportunities to enter the workforce, particularly in sectors facing staff shortages.

The SER says that “a lot of valuable time and motivation” is lost while asylum applications are being processed. The advisory body also notes that work is often difficult to combine with learning Dutch and completing civic integration requirements. The SER brings together employers, trade unions and independent experts.

Eight years after receiving their residence permit, 57 percent of status holders are in paid employment. Refugees from Ukraine, who are not required to complete the Dutch civic integration process, generally find work relatively quickly. However, they often work below their level of education and are frequently employed through temporary staffing agencies.

“Newcomers bring knowledge, experience and ambition with them. If we recognize that from the outset, they can put their talents to use and continue developing them,” said SER chair Kim Putters. “That would give employers more opportunities to make use of available talent in a labor market where staff shortages remain a major issue.”

The SER recommends making full participation in the labor market a central goal of policies for newcomers. It says municipalities should also have a legal responsibility to help asylum seekers and displaced Ukrainians find work. The advisory body feels this responsibility should be backed by structural funding.

The SER also recommends working with sectors facing staff shortages to make better use of newcomers’ skills. The government, municipalities, and employers could work together to invest in preparatory programs and work-study programs that give newcomers opportunities to build experience and progress into more advanced roles.

Minister for Employment and Participation Thierry Aartsen welcomed the advisory report, which was commissioned at the request of his predecessor. The VVD minister said it confirms that the government is moving in the right direction by putting newcomers more at the center of its policies.

“Newcomers do not benefit from being left on the sidelines for long. Given the tight labor market, we simply cannot afford to leave all that talent unused,” Aartsen said.

Before the summer, Aartsen had already unveiled plans to get an additional 75,000 newcomers into work by the end of 2030. Among other measures, he wants asylum seekers with good prospects of receiving a residence permit to start learning Dutch and working as soon as they arrive at asylum reception centers. He also wants to make it easier for newcomers to work while completing the civic integration process.