A study by the Dutch Social and Cultural Planning Office, including 3,200 Syrian refugees who came to the Netherlands in 2014, has revealed that the distribution of refugees residency in all Dutch municipalities is not helpful for their access to employment opportunities.
The study examined whether there is a difference in labor market opportunities according to the region in which the newcomer ends. The study concluded that the higher the unemployment rate in the region, the fewer opportunities for those arriving.
Social researchers in an evaluation of the integration policy believe that newcomers enjoy better job opportunities if they stay for a long time in the asylum seekers' center, as if they have already started their integration and learn the Dutch language in the asylum center, this helps them to go to the job market at an early stage, and they also learn Early Dutch language.
The Social and Cultural Planning Office also found that volunteer work does not necessarily increase the chances of finding paid work.
The step of wage employment is too big for the newcomers, but many refugees end up in volunteer work.
Also the study concluded that men benefit through integration more than women in finding work.
The participation of new arrivals at work increases the longer they stay in the Netherlands, also related to the countries from which the refugees came.
The study showed that people who hold Eritrean or Afghan nationalities find work faster than those with Syrian or Iranian nationalities, but the last two groups find their members find better-paying jobs.
According to the study, Syrians and Iranians are preparing for a longer period to enter the labor market. Finding work quickly is a high priority for Eritreans in particular, but this often includes work at lower wages per hour.
William Huynk, researcher in the Planning Office, says the Coronavirus crisis had negative consequences for these people: “We cannot say much about that at the moment, but you can imagine that the danger is that these people lose their jobs sooner. Almost all of them do flexible work and have worked in vulnerable sectors."
Zaman Al Wasl
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