Over 60,000 asylum seekers could enter Netherlands by year-end

The total number of refugees seeking asylum in the Netherlands this year is expected to reach between 50 thousand and 60 thousand. Over the past few weeks, the number of asylum applications fluctuated between 2,400 and 4,200 per week. State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff of Security and Justice said this in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, on Tuesday, NU reports. Up until September a total of 35,900 asylum seekers arrived in the Netherlands, compared to 30,020 throughout all of last year. This includes new asylum applications, family reunification applications and subsequent asylum application, according to the State Secretary. Nearly 2 thousand refugees are currently being accommodated in emergency shelters. A total of 37,070 asylum applicants and residency permit holders are living in the regular COA asylum centers. Dijkhoff did not want to make estimations on the numbers expected next year. The previous estimation was around 18 thousand asylum applications, but this number is no longer realistic, according to him. The State Secretary reiterated that an emergency solution may still be necessary. "With the current influx I have to keep calling on local authorities, including municipalities that have already taken the necessary steps. Our aim remains to avoid people having to sleep outside."