More than one million additional migrant workers in the Netherlands compared to official figures: Study
A new study has revealed that the size of labor migration in the Netherlands is much larger than the official figures suggest. While the Dutch government estimates the number of migrant workers to be between 220,000 and 700,000, new research conducted by the Intelligence Group indicates that the actual number is closer to 1.7 million active foreign workers in the Dutch labor market.
According to the report, there are about one million non-Dutch workers officially registered with the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). In addition, there are around 250,000 highly skilled migrants, 100,000 foreign workers sent by companies from outside the country, along with 100,000 undocumented workers from countries outside the European Union. Smaller categories include cross-border workers, Ukrainian workers, and international students.
Geert-Jan Fasdorp, director of the labor market at Intelligence Group, said that "the public debate on labor migration relies on figures that significantly underestimate reality." He explained that registration gaps, restrictions in definitions, and outdated data have led to a misunderstanding of the actual size of foreign labor in the Netherlands.
The investigation also highlighted the gaps in the Dutch registration system that allow non-Europeans to work without official residence documents. Through the Non-Residents Registration System (RNI), citizens from countries outside the European Union can obtain a Citizen Service Number (BSN), which is used to open bank accounts and obtain jobs. Researchers estimate that more than 100,000 people from outside the European Union are working in the Netherlands this way. The Dutch Labor Inspection, the Immigration Police, and the Expertise Center for Combating Human Trafficking have expressed their concerns about these gaps.
Vasdorpe concluded by saying: "If we count all the workers in the Netherlands, we will not have 10 million workers as is commonly mentioned, but at least 11 million," stressing the urgent need for more accurate data and a stricter registration system in the labor market.