Netherlands needs 20,000 more shelter spots for Ukrainian refugees

The Dutch government believes that the number of Ukrainian refugees present in the Netherlands will continue to increase in the coming period. By July, 90,000 reception places may be needed for them, over 20,000 more than what is currently available. The Cabinet is considering having Ukrainians who earn an income help pay for their accommodation themselves, said State Secretary Eric van der Burg, who handles asylum issues for the Cabinet.

Now that it looks like Ukrainian refugees will continue to come to the Netherlands, the Cabinet believes it is necessary to promote "participation and self-reliance" with the refugees. We are working on all kinds of plans for work, education and learning the Dutch language.

The latter is important to be able to participate in society, and even more so for children who need to be able to make friends while in the Netherlands, Van der Burg said. The plans should become clear over the course of next year.

Not only must the number of reception places be expanded, the available places must also be improved to make them suitable for a longer stay. The Cabinet also said it is making plans to help Ukrainians return to their home country "as soon as the security situation allows.” The government will take longer to develop those plans because the situation in Ukraine is not sufficiently safe at the present, and because agreements about procedures have to be made with other European countries.

The plans that Van der Burg wrote about do not only come from his own department. The Ministries of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW), Education, Culture and Science (OCW), Health, Welfare and Sport (SZW) and the Interior also play a role, he said. For example, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is examining the position of Ukrainians on the Dutch labor market, and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is investigating how to better help school age children.