Netherlands to match refugees with towns that have work for them

From now on refugees in the Netherlands will as far as possible be housed in a municipality where there is work that suits them, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs and Employment announced in a letter to parliament. Up until now refugees were distributed more or less randomly, the Telegraaf reports.

He made this decision based on a successful experiment in Doetinchem. Over the past months, the work experience and qualifications of asylum seekers were mapped and they were placed in cities and towns with suitable work. 75 percent of the people with usefull experienceended up in a municipality that offers a chance to a suitable job. For example, two fishermen were placed in Den Helder, where they already worked on the local boats.

Asscher emphasized that the number of refugees each municipality takes in will not change. The distribution will only be done in a smarter way.

Asylum seeker organization VluchtelingenWerk Nederland is enthusiastic about this new approach. "We urge Minister Ascher to check whether this new method also actually leads to higher employment. The new method is a good first result of good cooperation between government, business and civil society", a spokesperson said according to the Telegraaf.