Suriname recruiting more Dutch workers to meet oil boom labor demands

Surinamese businesses actively recruited Dutch workers at an emigration fair in Houten over the weekend, seeking professionals willing to move to Suriname, NOS reports. The country’s fast-growing oil industry requires thousands of workers—far more than its population of about 620,000 can provide.

"In all sectors, we need people. We really need to catch up," Mila Bahadoersing of Ondernemershuis Paramaribo told NOS at the fair. "Suriname has a very small population, and we simply won’t manage on our own. In two years, we expect to start extracting oil, and by then, a lot must be professionalized in our country. We need to reach an international standard."

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Suriname to discuss the industry’s potential and economic ties. "There is a tremendous opportunity here, the outlook is positive, and President Trump wants to strengthen ties with Suriname," Rubio said at a press conference after meeting with Surinamese President Chan Santokhi.

In recent years, multiple oil reserves have been discovered off Suriname’s coast. Several oil companies have since decided to invest in the country, with projected revenues reaching hundreds of millions per year.

"We have a beautiful country, great nature, and lots of sunshine," Bahadoersing added. "But of course, that alone isn’t enough to live on. Salaries weren't yet at the same level, but Suriname's economy is growing. We expect that we will soon be able to offer better wages. I think our country is going to change radically."

The fair drew interest from Dutch visitors, some of whom said they were considering a move. "We are considering the country," one attendee told NOS. "It’s a beautiful place, and it’s convenient that we can just speak Dutch there."