Labor migration is advocated in parliament by the left-liberal political party D66 with the support of the employers' federation VNO-NCW. Against - the national liberal political party PVV, largely relying on the position of the Labor Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie) on this issue. The debate itself was initiated by the proposal of the European Commission to accept more legal migrants from outside the EU.
Position PVV
The Freedom Party (PVV, Partij voor de Vrijheid) strongly opposes the European Commission's proposal earlier this month to accept more legal migrants from outside the EU. If the solution to this issue depended on the PVV, non-European workers would be prohibited from working in the Netherlands at all., and workers from Eastern and Central Europe - only after obtaining a special permit.
Position of the labor inspectorate
In its latest annual report, the labor inspectorate questions the benefits of labor migration. According to this regulator, growing number of labor migrants exacerbates social problems in the Netherlandsespecially the housing crisis. Inspector General Rits de Boer notes that more attention should be paid to the domestic labor market. He advises finding a solution to the problem of labor shortages by activating people who, for some reason, are not employed, and by increasing the number of part-time jobs.
Position D66
Democraten 66 (D66) party leader Jan Paternotte emphasizes the need for labor migration due to the reduction of the working population. The European Commission's proposal to take in more legal migrants from outside the EU is broadly in line with plans unveiled by the liberal left themselves three years ago.
Then the D66 representatives proposed that workers from outside the EU come and work in the Netherlands on the basis of a temporary permit for no more than four years. Controlled migration is the optimal solution to the labor shortage problem. Agreements with countries of origin should ensure that migrants return home after a few years. The ratio of supply and demand in the labor market would be balanced by a special committee.
At the time, the D66 proposal was ridiculed. But the current coalition government agreement says the cabinet wants to focus on "temporary legal labor migration" through reciprocal agreements with foreign countries. Ian Paternott stated: “We are used to sometimes being the first to say what eventually becomes necessary. It was the same with retirement age.”
The D66 leader does not expect that there will be serious obstacles within the coalition regarding the solution of the problem of labor migration. “But I urge the cabinet to act faster because labor shortage worsens».
Position VNO-NCW
Ingrid Thijssen, chairman of the Dutch employers' federation VNO-NCW (Verbond van Nederlandse Ondernemingen, VNO - Nederlands Christelijk Werkgeversverbond, NCW), says politicians must have the courage to tell the Dutch the real state of things - without foreign workers, the economy will stop. “We should not pretend that labor migration is not needed,” she notes.
Employers should encourage inactive people to go to work by making jobs more attractive. They also need to make sure that part-timers work more. The issues of robotization and automation of production remain relevant. However, even if all this works, the need for labor migrants will not disappear. Employers are responsible for the legal employment of migrants, and the labor inspectorate must ensure that there are no violations of the law and abuse.
Government Promise
The government is currently preparing a formal response to the proposal of the European Commission on labor migration. Minister for Employment and Social Policy Carien van Gennip does not want to comment on this yet.
At the same time, the minister promises to submit proposals to parliament on how to address the acute labor shortage in the labor market. The deputies, meanwhile, will hold consultations with experts on migration and labor shortages in the labor market, as well as on the fight against abuses in this area.
Publication Date: 31.05.2022
