Employment of asylum seekers and statushouders in the Maastricht Region

Interview

16 September 2024

At the end of last year, the regulations for the employment of asylum seekers in the Netherlands were relaxed somewhat when the maximum number of weeks per year they are able to work was increased. As a result, there seems to be more demand for employees from this particular target group. Though, what are the options in terms of employment? What is the difference between employing an asielzoeker (asylum seeker) and a statushouder (an asylum seeker who has been granted a temporary residence permit on the basis of an asylum application)?

We discussed these questions and more with Zoë Cremers, Beleidsmedewerker sociaal domein (Senior Policy Officer for Social Development). Or as she calls it: Senior Policy Officer for 'Newcomers'. “Because that covers everything; from the first reception of asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees to inburgering (civic integration process) and integration.”'

With this new project Asielzoekers aan het werk, it looks like Gemeente Maastricht wants to actively engage in the employment of asylum seekers. What do you see as opportunities in this approach and what are the potential bumps in the road?

Zoe: “We think there are many opportunities. Firstly, for the asylum seekers themselves: it is fulfilling to participate in societal roles, you can learn the language more easily while working, you can build a network, you learn what it is like to work in the Netherlands and you get a better understanding of our culture.''

“Secondly, for employers, the opportunities are mainly in new labour potential. Especially with the current labour shortage in Zuid-Limburg. It provides more diversity in the workplace and therefore also potentially many new opportunities.''

“We also see that, in general, statushouders and asylum seekers tend to be loyal employees. If you give them the right support, including language support, it is often worth the investment. They work hard and are less likely to switch jobs. This provides an employer with a good long-term employee.''

That's something you can prove with data that has been collected?

Zoe: “No, I’m not sure if there are any hard figures on that, but this is the general feedback we often get from employers. Provided the employee ends up in a sustainable workplace! A prospective employee with tertiary education who initially takes on a cleaning job to generate quick income will obviously not keep doing that for years, but where the workplace is appropriate, we do see this trend occurring.”

Do you track these employees in a particular way?

Zoe: “We don’t track asylum seekers. With statushouders, this is also difficult because we can no longer label them as such. A statushouder follows the civic integration process for 3 years. We know them and register them. After that, they are just regular residents of the Netherlands. This is sometimes criticised, but you can't keep labelling them as ‘inburgeraars’ (someone who is following the integration process). In 10 years' time, they will just be a resident of Maastricht and the fact that this person was once a statushouder will no longer be relevant.”

So what is Gemeente Maastricht doing to guide asylum seekers and statushouders into jobs? From whom do they get the necessary information?

Zoë: Statushouders all get assigned to a inburgeringsconsulent from the municipality. The consulent supports them in their civic integration process. Part of that is helping them secure a job.  For statushouders there are also quite some re-integration facilities available to help them and prospective employers

Because Asylum seekers don’t have a status yes, they can’t use these facilities. Asylum seekers can report to the Meedoenbalies (participation desks) at the asylum centre where their staying at COA, Podium24 (link in Dutch) and Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg (link in Dutch) for information and further to that directly to employment agencies.

“Under the Asielzoekers aan het werk project we also deploy a recruiter from Podium24 for each participant. This recruiter helps the asylum seeker look for a job during their asylum application period.''

Is Asielzoekers aan het werk something you personally participate in on your own initiative?

“In this case, the raad (municipal council) passed a motion, they want municipal employees to start working on this project. We have already figured some key points out and are now in the process of putting the pilot together.”

So which particular professions are we talking about? Or is there a lot of variation involved?

Zoë: “There is indeed some variation. Of all the participants, 25% are tertiary educated and that's across various positions. However, we haven't quite mapped out how that varies by each target group; statushouders, Ukrainian refugees or asylum seekers.''

“We ask participants what their desired sector or job they want to work in would be, unfortunately it is not guaranteed that they will get something in their sector. A practical example is the experienced forklift driver who has to get a Dutch driving licence. To pass both the theory and the practical exams, he or she still needs a basic knowledge of Dutch, traffic and road signs. So some time does pass before they are able to effectively carry out this job again.”

Often this includes people who are well trained, how do you measure this? How does this happen in practice?

Zoë: “For the asylum seeker, everything from initial reception to guidance through the asylum application procedure runs through COA. The people at COA know these residents reasonably well and will also advise what is feasible or not. They also have the COA Meedoenbalies (link in Dutch). These used to focus mainly on voluntary work, but are now also making the step towards paid work more often.

“Furthermore, as in any application process, a good intake is important. By the company itself or through recruiters from, for example, Podium24. There are also some organisations that support qualification reassessment such as the Internationale diplomawaardering (idw.nl)

“Statushouders or those following the civic integration process are also given a leerbaarheidstoets (a test to determine competencies and capabilities). Among other things, this is done to determine language levels and adjust the level of the language course to that, but of course it also provides insight regarding professional capabilities. Incidentally, for privacy reasons, that test is not always forwarded to an employer, but the participant can choose to share it. A good result on this test can be an added bonus during the application process.

“So as an employer, you have less to go on in regards to qualifications or prior education because it is difficult to compare those but otherwise it is similar to other application procedures. You have an interview, go over a CV, ask about previous work experience and, if in doubt, the qualification reassessment can be called upon. In practice, this is certainly the standard approach for positions requiring tertiary level qualifications.”

Do these workers also receive extra guidance with the Dutch language?

Zoë: ''Asylum seekers can go through pre-integration processes in the asielzoekers centrum, AZC (refugee centre) where they are resident and also take Dutch lessons. Then there are the projects we run through voluntary organisations in terms of language. These are accessible to everyone and we also see that many asylum seekers sign up. A good example of this is KCEM and Refugee Project Maastricht. They also provide language lessons or language meet-ups. Otherwise, there is no standard guidance when these AZC residents start working.''

“Recently, information has been shared by COA for employers in the form of an Information Guide Employers. One of the additional points of advice is to focus on the Dutch language. For example, there are low-threshold training courses for current employees within the team to become language buddies in the workplace. Some employers also deploy a job coach specifically for this target group. Especially if this group is somewhat larger. That does help, especially in the beginning.”

Is English also used?

Zoë: ''The knowledge of English varies a lot between the groups and depending on where they come from. For example, you see among the group of Ukrainian refugees that they speak English well, which makes it easier for them to get a job in the Netherlands. The refugees from Ukraine also seem to have slightly narrower cultural differences than refugees from Syria or Eritrea, for example. Ukrainian refugees can manage themselves just a bit easier and usually find a job faster. They also don’t need a separate work permit unlike asylum seekers.

Are Ukrainian refugees then a separate target group?

Zoë: ''There are different rules for refugees from Ukraine than for the average asylum seeker. This is partly due to the different basis on which they receive protection, which is through temporary 3-year directives from the European Union (EU). This allows them to immediately go to work in the Netherlands and their children to go to school. In addition, the emergency reception of Ukrainian refugees runs through the Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg  (link in Dutch) and Gemeente Maastricht, while in other asylum cases we as a municipality only come into the picture when refugees start the civic integration process. This has come about because COA needs all its places for regular reception of refugees.''

“So yes, Ukrainian refugees integrate a bit faster, but the procedure also runs a bit smoother for them. 

Are you aware of whether there have been many applications for work permits for asylum seekers?

Zoë: “I don't have figures specifically from Gemeente Maastricht, but I do have figures from the Netherlands. To give an example: in 2022, there were only 600 applications, in the whole of the Netherlands! The year after, there were 2,000. This will mainly also have to do with the abolition of that rule that asylum seekers were only allowed to work for 24 weeks. This year we are already at 1,500, so we are expected to go well over those numbers.”

Those numbers are not that large, any idea why?

Zoë: ''We think most employers don’t know that asylum seekers are allowed to work the whole year because there hasn't been enough focus on spreading that information. There is no specific requirement (and budget) for municipalities to help these people find work. Now that more projects are starting to get asylum seekers into work, this number will increase. It also remains to be seen, of course, what the new government will do.''

“Originally, an asylum seeker was also not meant to spend such an enormous amount of time awaiting a decision on their application for asylum. Officially, the beslissingstermijn (decision period) – from the moment of arrival, including the application, to the decision whether asylum will be granted – is 6 months. In those 6 months, if a refugee does a bit of voluntary work and builds a small network, they are already achieving a lot. Once the asylum application is approved and the applicant becomes a statusholder, the job search starts.''

“But the process of that decision takes much longer in practice, currently 15 months instead of the calculated 6 months. Then those applicants often have to wait another year for a house of their own. Only then can they start the civic integration process and the municipality is given the task of guiding these new residents to work. In that period of 2.5 years of waiting, it really depends on how well the asylum seeker finds his or her way by themselves and to what extent employers are open to it.

“Employers also need to be better informed, because they often do not know what the arrangements are and tend to mainly see the risks. Employers and their current employees have to deal with cultural differences, a different language and a different background.”

In general, do you get many questions from employers about the employment of asylum seekers?

Zoë: “We are not approached directly by employers, but we are approached by the informing bodies, like you are now. We notice that there is a lot of social commitment. The labour market shortage in Zuid-Limburg also plays a part in this. We also see several municipalities in the Netherlands setting up projects to better integrate this group of people. Due to the fact that some of them stay in the AZCs for so long, the process of integration has slowed down enormously. We hope to steer that in a better direction with these projects.''

Is there a particular information point that employers in the Maastricht Region can turn to for information on this?

Zoë: "There is, of course, Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg for general information for both employers and employees. We are also currently developing a fact sheet where employers get a handy overview of the most important regulations and points of interest when employing statushouders as well as asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees. But at Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg they can provide you with all the information needed'' 

“For example, what is also very important for employers to know is that they can also apply for their prospective employee to be linked to this area. Of all the participating statushouders in the AZC in Maastricht, only 40 are linked to the Maastricht-Heuvelland area. There are also people here in the AZC in Maastricht who are linked to Groningen, Utrecht or Amsterdam so they then have to go and live there. Employers can apply to link a new employee to this region. There is, of course, a minimum requirement in terms of length of employment. So we are not talking about a job for a month or so.”

Can having a job bring benefits when applying for asylum in the Netherlands?

Zoë: ''No, the asylum application is only approved if someone has reason to flee their country and is not safe in the country they come from. Civic integration or having a job in the host country is not taken into account. We do notice however that having sustainable work in a particular municipality can affect the future municipality to which a statushouder is assigned residency.”

So, an employer hires an asylum seeker and they are satisfied with his or her work but the asylum application is rejected. What are the consequences then?

Zoë: “Then the employer loses this employee. The refugee then formally has 28 days left to leave the country.”

That must be a huge disappointment. How are asylum seekers protected? Do they know their rights in the Netherlands?

Zoë: “This is of course explained to them. Asylum seekers have a COA case manager assigned to them whose duty it is to explain the asylum procedure in full. At the previously mentioned Meedoenbalie, these kinds of issues are also discussed and to what extent the asylum seeker may partake in the labour market in the Netherlands. However, it is important that an asylum seeker receives language support, for example through an interpreter. The risk of something not being fully understood remains, of course.

“There are always representatives from VluchtelingenWerk (Dutch Council for Refugees) on site at the AZC who can provide extra guidance and legal support in this.

“'There are certain categories of asylum seekers where it is indicated from the beginning of the application that they will likely be granted asylum. For example, because they are coming from a country where the situation is so bad that they cannot go back. About 80% of asylum seekers belong to this group. Our project focuses on this group because we know they have a high chance of staying here.

“It is hard if their asylum application is rejected. People who seek asylum generally don't do so for no reason. They always remain hopeful, even if they understand that there is little chance of success.”

What about refugees with trauma? Are they given extra counselling, or is screening done at the front end?

Zoë: ''COA does provide extra attention in the form of extra healthcare and psychological support. Refugees who apply through the COA Meedoenbalie are in principle referred by COA and they can reasonably assess whether someone is ready for a certain position. A recruiter will also conduct screening processes.

“There is no separate extra guidance from the municipality once the employee is taken on. If an employee reports directly to a company, the company will have to do this screening. Of course asylum seekers as well as statushouders do have access to mental health care.''

So what should the employer look out for?

Zoë: “Mainly cultural background and language. Employers can provide a language buddy or a language coach to tackle this. There are also companies that already adapt very well. For instance, there is a local cleaning company in the Maastricht Region that has ordered some of its cleaning products in Arabic. This is because it is mandatory that your employees can read what the ingredients are of the products they have to work with.''

“You also hear about all kinds of new technologies that allow you to get instant translation with earpieces. Of course, it also depends on how much employers are willing to invest in this.''

“Employers can supervise the other employees in the team as well. I recently heard the example of a catering company that employed refugees and where the employer was surprised when half his team did not show up during Eid. What if a team expands to such an extent that Arabic is mainly spoken on the work floor? How does this come across to the Dutch colleague, for example? Is this acceptable or not? What agreements are made with the team about this? Apart from VluchtelingenWerk Nederland, there are quite a few companies that specialise in this and can help and inform a company about the possibilities and bottlenecks of cultural differences in the workplace. I can advise everyone to make use of this, especially if you have several asylum seekers or status holders in your team.''

“For employers hiring a statushouder, there are quite a few services and schemes that can be of use. Employers can think of it from the same perspective as people on benefits who are going back to work. This allows employers to request additional services such as job coaching. For example, there are free ‘Ik ben Harrie’ courses available. That is a training course for current employees to become the ideal colleague for new colleagues who might have more difficulty integrating.''

“Additional subsidies are possible from Gemeente Maastricht. Of course there are provisos, however, Podium 24 and Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg can provide excellent advice.''

“I would also like to emphasise that all that extra help is not always necessary. There are both asylum seekers and statushouders who integrate quickly and also master the language quickly.”

Agreements are rightly made about the minimum wage asylum seekers should receive. Does a stable and higher income affect their stay in an AZC?

Zoë: “Asylum seekers are always allowed to keep 25% of their wages, the rest basically goes to COA. There is a monthly contribution they have to pay to COA themselves, which is €547. What they earn above that, they are allowed to keep.”

And a status holder?

Zoë: “The same rules apply to a statushouder who is still residing in an AZC. As soon as they do have their own home, they initially receive benefits. The integration consultant looks at work and participation with them. For these residents, as with other people on benefits, their earnings will be deducted from their benefits, and if they earn full wages, they will no longer receive benefits.”

The plans are positive, but now there is a new government in the Netherlands, do you expect any big changes?

Zoe: “We are curious about the future. Currently (June '24), we only have a hoofdlijnenakkoord (coalition government’s general agreement) that covers potential new policies on asylum seekers in the Netherlands, but the combination of regulations being proposed, such as the beslissingsstop (halt on intake of refugees), the abolition of priority housing for asylum seekers over current residents of the Netherlands and the repeal of the Spreidingswet (Dispersal Act, a legal duty for municipalities to provide sufficient reception places and a more balanced distribution of asylum seekers across provinces and municipalities) does seem to lead to higher numbers of asylum seekers remaining for longer periods in AZC’s. Therefore, the pressure remains high at the existing AZC’s and the cities and municipalities where they are located. We are currently hosting over 800 refugees in Maastricht. So yes, we are monitoring it closely.”

---

​​​​

Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg COA Information Guide Employers Vluchtelingenwerk Nederlands Werkcentrum Zuid-Limburg Podium24 Ik ben Harrie

---

Zoë Cremers, Senior Policy Officer for Social Development.