Employers are becoming increasingly good at finding newcomers
labor potential
labor market
asylum seekers
Good news: more and more newcomers are finding their way into the Dutch labor market. According to a new report from ABN AMRO, the number of working refugees will increase by 17,500 in 2025, a 20 percent increase compared to 2024.
During our employer event on June 19th, Mario Bersem, sector economist at ABN AMRO, provided a preview of the report's key insights. His message resonated: "Smart employers are capitalizing on the enormous labor potential among newcomers." And rightly so. There's still plenty of room to better utilize talent, as Wilma Roozenboom and Erik Ziengs recently argued .
“Smart employers are capitalizing on the enormous labor potential among newcomers.”
Mario van Bersem
sector economist at ABN AMRO
It's no surprise that more and more newcomers are entering the workforce. Employers urgently need staff and are therefore looking more broadly for talent.
At the same time, improved policies are helping: for example, the so-called "24-week requirement" has been abolished, allowing asylum seekers to work more. And this is reflected in the figures: the number of working asylum seekers has tripled. However, there are still limitations for this group, and the report shows that their potential is far from being fully realized. If asylum seekers had free access to the labor market, an additional 21,000 people could find work.
Ukrainian newcomers are showing what's possible when barriers are removed. They have free access to work, and they're doing so in droves: around 60% have paid employment, often through employment agencies.
Status holders are increasingly successful in combining work with integration. Of the group who received a residence permit in 2020, 31% were working three years later; a significant increase compared to previous years. The updated Integration Act certainly contributes to this.
Fortunately, employers aren't alone. More and more organizations are taking steps to utilize the potential of newcomers. Consider Vermaat.or HeatTransformers : across the country, we see examples of employers consciously creating opportunities for new talent. In addition, various schemes and subsidies—such as SROI and SOWIS —make it even more attractive to hire newcomers.
In short: the labor participation of newcomers is rising significantly. And that's good news for everyone. For newcomers who want to contribute and for employers looking for motivated talent.
