More Dutch municipalities limiting how many migrant workers live within their borders

At least 13 Dutch municipalities are limiting how many migrant workers can live within their borders, EenVandaag reported. While that is only a small proportion of the total 352 Dutch municipalities, the number has increased significantly. In 2020, NOS reported that only three municipalities were setting limits on migrant workers.

EenVandaag surveyed 157 municipalities. 13 said that they have set a maximum for the number of migrant workers who can live there. 11 others said they were considering such a limit. These municipalities most often cite concerns about quality of life, social cohesion, and the housing shortage as reasons to limit the number of migrant workers.

Peel en Maas, for example, has limited the number of migrant workers to 10 percent of the total inhabitants. About 4,500 migrant workers live in Peel en Maas, so that limit has already been reached. The municipality is no longer granting permits for this group.

Zaltbommel has a limit of 2,000 international workers in the municipality. Currently, Zaltbommel houses 852 migrant workers.

Altena in Noord-Brabant has opted to limit the number of housing places for migrant workers. That maximum has been reached, and the municipality is no longer issuing permits for large-scale housing.

Monique Kremer, chair of the Advisory Council on Migration, understands these municipalities’ urge to set limits. But if they want to have fewer migrant workers, what they need to do is limit the number of companies that use them, she said. “The core is that many municipalities attract companies that need many migrant workers. Of course, these people then have to live somewhere.”

The Advisory Council previously advised the government to set a national limit on the number of migrant workers admitted each year. According to the Council, migrant workers should contribute to society as a whole, not just company profits.