Ethnic people discriminated against on job market: report

Compared to the rest of Europe, the Netherlands has one of the worst job markets for people who do not have two Dutch parents - so called "allochtonen", the Volkskrant reports based on figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Eurostat. More than half of the Migrants in the Netherlands that come from outside the European Union are unemployed. Countries such as France, Italy and Spain, that have a much higher unemployment rate, have fewer unemployed immigrants than the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, 77.1 percent of people with two Dutch parents have paid work, while only 49.5 percent of people who do not have two Dutch parents are employed - a difference of 27.6 percent. The only European country with a higher difference is Sweden, which takes in nearly three times as many asylum seekers than the Netherlands. "These figures should shake us all awake. We will never accept discrimination." Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher (Social Affairs) said in reaction to the Volkskrant's report. According to the minister, discrimination ensures that "dreams for the future end in frustration and that talent is wasted". He believes that only a joint approach by the Cabinet, employers and workers can address the problem of discrimination in employment. Asscher thinks that people should not give up, no matter "how frustrating or complicated" it is and report if they are discriminated against.