Philips emphasizes need for highly skilled migrants in reaction to Wilders’ victory

The Dutch medical technology company Philips stated that highly skilled migrants are essential for the company to facilitate international exchange of knowledge, experience, and innovation. This statement came in response to the results of the Dutch parliamentary elections. The two major winners, the PVV with 37 seats and the NSC with 20, both advocate for curbing the number of labor migrants.

Philips acknowledged the election results and was waiting for the coalition negotiations and cabinet formation to conclude. The company expressed confidence that the economic reality surrounding the use of labor and highly skilled migrants would be reasonably considered. According to Philips, economic and technological forecasts indicated that maintaining broad prosperity is not feasible without highly skilled migrants. The company pointed out a shortage of top talent that is being competed for internationally.

Philips reported having over 10,000 employees in the Netherlands, nearly 900 of whom are highly skilled migrants, representing 99 different nationalities within their Dutch workforce.

Chip machine manufacturer ASML also expressed that it was concerned about the election results regarding potential restrictions on hiring knowledge migrants, which could significantly impact their business. "Dutch talent alone is not sufficient to meet the current demand for labor in our industry and our ecosystem,” the company said in a statement.

“Any restrictions on the number of knowledge workers or international students relevant for our industry are undesirable,” a spokesperson told Bloomberg. They added that changes to fiscal policy, like the recent 30 percent rule limitation for internationals and the levy on share buybacks, could negatively impact Dutch competitiveness and ASML's ability to invest, innovate, and attract the necessary workforce for growth.

Business groups VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland urged the new cabinet to develop a clear vision on labor migration. In a press release, they argued that companies require staff from abroad. They noted that tech companies in particular need foreign talent and that sectors like energy and healthcare cannot function without foreign staff. This remains necessary and the next cabinet will have to address it."

Both organizations are calling for a clear policy on labor migration from the new government and are awaiting discussions about forming a new Cabinet. "A stable majority coalition is essential for the stability and reliability of the country's governance."