MPs tell Cabinet to ease “disproportionate” salary rules for highly-skilled migrants
Parliamentary motions were passed on Tuesday calling on the Cabinet to stop its plan to increase the salary requirements for highly-skilled workers needing a visa to enter the Netherlands. The Cabinet introduced a proposal in July that would only grant a visa to such migrants under 30 years of age if they earn a minimum gross monthly salary of 4,671 euros,
That would amount to a 12 percent increase, or 500 euros more than the current requirement. In some cases, the figure could increase by a 100 euros more.
One motion stated the approach “disproportionately affects start-ups and scale-ups, particularly because they are often unable to pay employees the wages required to qualify” as highly-skilled workers, known locally as kennismigranten, or “knowledge migrants.” As such, the Cabinet should take a new look at the matter, but keeping in mind the impact changes to the rules will have on growing companies.
The other motion passed said the Cabinet’s “chosen tightening up of the salary criterion is a blunt axe” and that a “a smarter” approach is necessary. Members of Parliament in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house, approved both motions on Tuesday afternoon, sending the measure back to the Cabinet, while still acknowledging that there are issues with labor migration in the Netherlands.
The Cabinet introduced its plan after the Labor Inspectorate alleged some hairdressers and cleaners were working in the Netherlands under the knowledge migrant scheme. The office said it suggested immigrants were being brought to the country from outside the European Union based on salary alone, and without review of the knowledge and skills they possess.
But the Cabinet was heavily criticized for its lack of nuance. Groups of employers, especially those in high-tech, told the Financieele Dagblad in September that they feared whether they could afford to recruit talent from abroad to fill gaps. This was especially a problem for start-ups that already face high wage costs in the country, said Theo Henrar from business association FME.
Notably, the Cabinet lost the support of its two remaining parties when, on Tuesday, Parliament called on the Cabinet to adjust other aspects in the visa process, like determining social necessity of different positions, and sectors with shortages. Additionally, the Cabinet should take more consideration with regard to sectors that have the potential to “substantially contribute to the future earning capacity of the Netherlands.
The motion calling on the Cabinet to look more closely at the impact their measures will have on start-ups and scale ups passed by a wide majority of 90 votes to 60, with D66, VVD, CDA, FVD, BBB, ChristenUnie, Denk, SGP, Volt, and 50Plus voting in favor. Those opposed include the PVV, GroenLinks-PvdA, JA21, SP, and PvdD. The motion referring to the measure as a “blunt axe” was approved by a vote of 80-70, with FVD and Denk switching sides.
The Cabinet was made up of the VVD, NSC, and BBB when it introduced the proposal, with the PVV having already departed the coalition. NSC is no longer in Parliament after losing all of its seats in the recent election. The current caretaker Cabinet is currently made up only of politicians from the VVD and BBB.
Both motions were put forward by D66 MP Stephan Neijenhuis and VVD MP Claire Martens-America. D66 won a plurality of votes in the previous election, giving them 26 seats in the Tweede Kamer. The VVD lost some support, but remains the third-largest party with 22 seats.
