Legally, asylum seekers who do not yet have a resident status are now only allowed to work 24 weeks a year. In April, however, the court in Arnhem declared this law contrary to European law. The House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on a motion to withdraw the appeal against the sentence.
While waiting for this vote, the director general of the Randstad employment agency launches an appeal to the BNR parliament: vote in favour, ‘so that people can get to work and offer themselves perspectives’ because ‘participating as soon as possible is the best way of integration.’
The pilot project was a success: “People are queuing up”
Randstad has been running a pilot project since March where refugees who are still in the asylum process can work for large Dutch companies such as KLM and NS. The pilot project is a success, says Klaassen. “So do it everywhere and as soon as possible, I’d say,” says Randstad’s director. According to Klaassen, the 24-week requirement now makes investing in asylum seekers risky. This rule has been eliminated in the pilot.
“People are lining up,” said the director. ‘There is a huge need for work.’ According to Randstad, of the 800 residents of the COA Markerkant locality in Almere, the pilot’s home, 120 have registered. “Dozens” of these are already working, Klaassen says. That’s why Randstad would like to start with the nationwide approach as soon as possible. ‘We want this to be possible in every COA location.’
Most employment agencies are silent
BNR toured dozens of employment agencies to see how the industry thinks about the untapped potential of asylum seekers. Most did not want to speak publicly about a politically sensitive issue. Randstad was one of the few exceptions. A handful of other employment agencies acknowledge Klaassen’s story.
Fatih Gunes, CEO of Pro-gress, speaks of ‘a wall of barriers’ which separates asylum seekers from work. His IT secondment agency helped two asylum seekers find work, but saw little repeat potential due to low returns and relatively high administrative burdens. If the 24-week requirement is dropped, that will change, Gunes says. “A win-win situation” for the sector and for asylum seekers, according to the chief executive.
The undersecretary of state is “not positive” on the right to work
The House of Representatives is divided on the issue, even within the coalition. D66 and left-wing parties support the right to work for asylum-seekers, but right-wing parties, including the VVD, fear the return of working asylum-seekers who are not granted status will be made more difficult, the NRC reported. The responsible state secretary Eric van der Burg is also “not so positive”.
The government expects 76,000 asylum seekers this year. With a historically low unemployment rate, the group has become increasingly attractive to employment agencies. “There’s economic potential, it’s a really big market,” says Klaassen, who estimates that “tens of thousands” of people could be put to work if the rules were relaxed.
If the motion fails, the matter will still be resolved by the court. The appeal is scheduled for 7 September.