Asylum seekers from "safe countries" will lose their right to work in the Netherlands
Starting from next June, asylum seekers coming from countries considered "safe" will be prohibited from working in the Netherlands, under new regulations being implemented across the European Union. This decision coincides with the entry into force of the European Migration Pact on June 12, 2025.
Acting Minister of Social Affairs Mariëlle Paul confirmed that the new policy will also apply to individuals considered a security risk, as they will be completely banned from working. In contrast, the government will ease restrictions on other asylum seekers who are likely to obtain residency in the country.
Under the new rules, refugees with a strong chance of staying in the Netherlands will be able to start working just three months after submitting their applications, instead of six months as before. The annual maximum of 24 weeks of work will also be officially abolished, a decision that has not been effectively implemented since the court annulled it two years ago.
Paul said that the aim of the amendments is to accelerate the integration of potential asylum seekers into Dutch society. She added in a statement to De Telegraaf: "People who are likely to be allowed to stay should participate in society as soon as possible, as work helps them build a new life and allows them to contribute to the economy and society."
The Netherlands had canceled its own list of 'safe countries' last August, following a ruling from the European Court of Justice that restricts the ability of member states to independently determine those areas. The European Union is currently preparing a unified list expected to come into effect at the same time as the start of the migration charter.
Government data shows a sharp decline in the number of arrivals from countries that were previously considered safe, such as Morocco and Tunisia, since the beginning of the year. Overall, asylum applications in the Netherlands have decreased by 33% during the first nine months of 2025 compared to last year.
According to data from the Dutch Statistics Agency (CBS), 16,800 first-time asylum applications were recorded between January and September, compared to 25,000 applications in 2024, the lowest number since 2021, when the country began to recover from the restrictions of the Corona pandemic.
The decline is partly attributed to the decrease in the number of Syrian refugees following the fall of the Assad regime in 2024. Last year, 8,900 Syrians arrived in the Netherlands during the first nine months, compared to only 2,400 this year. In contrast, Eritreans have become the largest group of refugees, with 2,200 arriving in the last six months.