Immigration to the Netherlands declined for the third consecutive year in 2025, with fewer skilled labour migrants and asylum seekers arriving in the country, according to new figures released by the Dutch statistics office.
Official data show that 309,000 people immigrated to the Netherlands in 2025, representing a decrease of 8,000 compared with the previous year. The decline marks the continuation of a downward trend after immigration had risen almost continuously between 2006 and 2022.
The statistics examined the main reasons people moved to the Netherlands, including employment, asylum, family reunification, and higher education.
One of the sharpest declines was recorded among highly skilled migrants from countries outside the European Union. Approximately 14,000 skilled migrants arrived in 2025, compared with 26,000 in 2022, representing a reduction of nearly half over three years.
The decrease was largely attributed to fewer arrivals from India, while the number of skilled workers from Turkey, Russia, China, and South Africa also fell. Labour migration remained an important source of immigration, with EU nationals accounting for around two-thirds of labour migrants in 2024.
The Netherlands also recorded fewer asylum seekers in 2025. About 35,000 people sought international protection during the year, down by 4,000 from 2024. Dutch authorities classify asylum seekers as individuals who enter the country seeking international protection and are registered in the national municipal records system.
According to the Dutch statistics office, asylum applications have historically fluctuated in response to global conflicts and humanitarian crises. Arrivals increased significantly during the 2015–2016 refugee crisis before falling during the COVID-19 pandemic as international travel slowed.
Over the past 27 years, asylum seekers have accounted for an average of around 9% of annual immigration to the Netherlands.
The figures also show that more than 28,000 displaced people from Ukraine arrived in the Netherlands in 2025 under the European Union’s Temporary Protection Directive, a slight decrease from the previous year.
The decline in immigration coincides with significant changes to the country’s asylum system. In April, the Dutch Senate approved a two-tier asylum framework that differentiates between people fleeing persecution and those escaping war or climate-related disasters.
Under the new system, applicants granted A status—such as those fleeing persecution based on religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation—receive broader rights. Those granted B status, including many fleeing armed conflict or natural disasters, receive shorter residence permits and are no longer entitled to family reunification.
The reforms replace the previous system, under which all successful asylum applicants received five-year residence permits with the possibility of applying for permanent residency after that period.
The Netherlands also rejected more asylum applications than it approved during 2025. The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) rejected approximately 8,100 applications while approving about 7,400, with most rejections occurring during the second half of the year. The higher rejection rate has been linked largely to changes in the assessment of asylum claims from Syrian nationals.
Following the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, the Dutch government introduced additional reforms that took effect after 12 June 2026. Under the new rules, authorities shortened the time for issuing decisions in certain cases from six months to three months, particularly for applicants from countries considered safe.
The government also ended access to permanent asylum residence permits for people applying after 12 June 2026. Instead, newly approved asylum seekers will receive residence permits valid for three years. Applications submitted before that date will continue to be processed under transitional arrangements, with the IND deploying additional staff to help reduce waiting times.