Dutch Firms Hire 13,500 Refugees Amid Labor Shortages

Large companies in the Netherlands hired 13,500 refugees and asylum seekers last year to address staffing shortages in logistics, hospitality, and technical trades. Tent Nederland, a coalition of 51 major employers, reported the figures. These positions include both permanent roles and temporary work through staffing agencies.

Tent Nederland connects employers directly with refugees, organizing job fairs with local councils and the refugee settlement agency COA. Director Hélène van Melle noted companies are increasingly open to hiring asylum seekers, aided by the removal of a 24-week work limit at the end of 2023.

This hiring push aligns with the Dutch government’s goal to get 75,000 more refugees and asylum seekers into paid work by 2030, with a target of 60% employment within five years of receiving a residence permit. While refugee employment historically lagged behind the general workforce, recent data suggests new arrivals are finding jobs more quickly than in the past.