December 1999

IZA DP No. 80: The Netherlands: Old Emigrants - Young Immigrant Country

published in: K. Zimmerman (ed.) European Migration: What Do We Know? Oxford: OUP, 2005

Since the mid 1960s the Netherlands has an immigration surplus, mainly because of manpower recruitment from Turkey and Morocco and because of immigration from the former Dutch colony of Surinam. Immigrant workers have a weak labour market position, which is mainly related to their educational level and language skills. Children and grandchildren of immigrants are expected to have better chances to integrate into Dutch society. Nevertheless, specific policy measures are needed to avoid social exclusion of current immigrant workers.