Dutch companies hired around 13,500 asylum seekers and documented migrants with permission to work last year, as employers increasingly turn to foreign workers to address labour shortages across the Netherlands.
The figures, reported by Dutch media and attributed to Tent Nederland, cover hiring by 51 major companies involved in efforts to help refugees and migrants enter the Dutch labour market.
Among those benefiting is Issam, a 49-year-old Syrian who arrived in the Netherlands nearly seven years ago after fleeing his home country. After spending an extended period in an asylum seekers’ centre, he began working for furniture retailer IKEA in March 2022.
He has since progressed to become a team leader overseeing four departments.
Issam said having a job has enabled him to support his family and helped him feel more accepted in Dutch society.
“I can now provide for my family,” he said, adding that employment had also improved his relationship with his neighbours.
The 13,500 hires made by participating companies included both permanent and temporary positions, with many jobs concentrated in sectors such as logistics, hospitality, facility services and technology.
Hélène van Melle, director of Tent Nederland, said businesses were finding it easier to connect with refugees and asylum seekers seeking employment.
The change follows a 2023 legislative reform that granted asylum seekers the right to work full-time, according to reports.
Van Melle said employers initially struggled to reach potential workers from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, but attitudes have changed rapidly.
Tent Nederland was established last year as the Dutch branch of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a global network involving around 500 major companies that support displaced people.
The organisation helps connect employers with refugees and migrants through initiatives including local and regional job fairs.
Hotel group Marriott is among the companies participating in the initiative. The chain reportedly became involved after positive experiences with Ukrainian refugees, including a group of 50 Ukrainians who were provided accommodation at one of its hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marriott continues to employ 12 members of that group and has also hired two Syrian refugees since joining the Dutch initiative.
The company’s Rotterdam Marriott Hotel general manager, Claudia van der Graaf, said the business planned to continue working with municipalities and Tent Nederland to connect with migrants who have permission to work.
Van Melle said employers were generally satisfied with their migrant recruits, describing them as “loyal, motivated and eager to get to work.”
The growing demand for migrant workers comes as the Dutch government seeks to increase employment among asylum seekers and migrants with legal status.
Amid persistent labour shortages, particularly in essential sectors such as healthcare, the government announced plans last month to help 75,000 status holders find employment by 2030.
The programme aims to help asylum seekers and recognised refugees enter the workforce as quickly as possible. The government reportedly hopes that 60% of newcomers will have full-time employment within five years of receiving status.
The Netherlands has a relatively low unemployment rate, standing at 3.8% as of July 16, compared with an EU average of 5.9% in late May.
Companies outside the Tent network are also recruiting migrants. Construction firm Heijmans, for example, reportedly hired 60 migrants last year.
The trend in the Netherlands reflects a broader increase in migrant employment across the European Union.
A recent report by the Rockwool Foundation Berlin found that the employment rate among migrants in the EU reached a record 68% last year.
The strongest improvement was recorded among non-EU nationals, whose employment rate rose to 66%, up from 59% in 2017.
The figures indicate that employment rates among migrants are increasingly approaching those of native-born populations, although significant differences remain between EU countries.
Non-EU migrant employment rates vary considerably across the bloc, with particularly high levels reported in countries such as Malta and the Czech Republic and lower rates in Belgium and Finland.
Experts, however, say the focus should now move beyond simply getting migrants into jobs and towards ensuring they can make full use of their skills and qualifications.
Christian Dustmann, director of the Rockwool Foundation Berlin, said the challenge was no longer simply putting immigrants into employment but also removing barriers that prevent them from using their qualifications.
He highlighted the need to address certification barriers and increase labour market participation among non-EU women.
The growing number of migrant hires in the Netherlands suggests that, as labour shortages persist, businesses and governments are increasingly viewing migrants and asylum seekers with the right to work as an important part of the solution to workforce gaps.