Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, united under G4, want to take back control over the integration process. The four large Dutch cities believe that customization is needed for integration to go smoothly, and that is impossible while the process is in the control of the national government, ANP reports.
integration
Jan 24 '17 07:38
Since a law was passed in 2013 making integration the responsibility of immigrants themselves, only a third of immigrants passed the naturalization exam in time, according to a report by the Netherlands General Court of Audit. The exam is also taken at a lower level than before the law, NU.nl reports.
Dec 16 '16 11:30
The Dutch government is doing too little to help refugees find work, according to the social economic council SER in a report released on Friday, ANP reports.
The SER is an advisory body of employers, trade unions and independent experts.
Refugees who were granted asylum in the Netherlands since 2013 have to pay for their integration course themselves. According to the SER, this is a big problem. Only 10 percent of people who received refugee status last year found a job relatively quickly, according to figures from the municipalities. The rest have to live on welfare.
Dec 15 '16 07:46
Non-Western minorities living in the Netherlands are losing faith in the country, according to a report published by social and cultural planning office SCP on Thursday. Since the start of this century they've become more negative about the social climate, feel less at home and feel more discriminated against, ANP reports.
Nov 29 '16 10:44
Parliamentarian Jacques Monasch, formerly of the PvdA, is launching his own party with wich he will be taking part in the elections on March 15th next year, he announced on Monday. The party is called Nieuwe Wegen, or "New Roads" in English, and strives to combine "social economy" with a sricter immigration policy with priority on "our norms and values", NU.nl reports.
Nov 18 '16 09:30
Asylum seekers who have a good chance of getting refugee status in the Netherlands, will from now on start language lessons almost immediately. Syrian- and Eritrean asylum seekers in particular will benefit from this new policy, PvdA Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs announced, the Telegraaf reports.
Oct 12 '16 09:20
An increasing number of immigrants are passing their integration exams. Though more than half are still failing, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs wrote to parliament on Tuesday
Oct 5 '16 10:17
The municipality of Amsterdam is concerned about its Eritrean residents, calling them a "vulnerable group that needs extra attention and guidance to make a good start in the Netherlands". Most Eritreans in Amsterdam are poorly integrated and struggle with health problems and debt
Sep 7 '16 07:33
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Prime Minister Mark Rutte's statements about Turkish-Dutch in the program Zomergasten was inappropriate
Aug 26 '16 15:00
D66 leader Alexander Pechtold wants the next government to address inequality in society, he wrote in the foreword of his party's 232 page election program, which he presented on Friday. According to him, it is time to invest in "equal chances", NU.nl reports.
Aug 15 '16 13:00
In the coming years the Dutch government will be giving more refugees the opportunity to do volunteer work in the country with the aim of helping them with their integration, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment announced on Saturday. Minister Lodewijk Asscher made a million euros available to create about 14 thousand volunteer jobs
Jun 30 '16 15:30
The arrival of asylum seekers and immigration in general are still the greatest issues in the Netherlands by far, according to the Social and Cultural Planning Office's quarterly report. Opinions on the matter are very divided - a large group point to the negatives of asylum seekers in the country, and another large group is alarmed by the other's attitude
Jun 20 '16 10:10
The D66 is calling on the government to make 75 million euros available to quickly teach asylum seekers the Dutch language, party leader Alexander Pechtold said on the television program Buitenhof on Sunday
May 26 '16 10:53
To date not a single immigrant who failed his integration exam had his residency permit revoked, the Ministry of Security and Justice confirmed to broadcaster NOS. But numerous fines of up to 1,250 euros were imposed.
May 11 '16 08:12
The city of Amsterdam will soon start building a thousand new temporary apartments that will house refugees and students. The homes will be located spread over five locations and be used for 10 years, the municipality announced on Wednesday
Apr 29 '16 10:50
Dutch public broadcasters launched a website this week where asylum seekers, immigrants and expatriates can watch Dutch programs subtitled in English and Arabic. The video-on-demand service - called Net in Nederland or New to the Netherlands in English - is intended to help newcomers get used to Dutch society
Apr 29 '16 09:14
The Dutch government is making 500 million euros available for the integration of asylum seekers who are given refugee status and allowed to stay in the Netherlands, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs, Minister Ronald Plasterk of Home Affairs and chairman of the Association of Dutch Municipalities Jan van Zanen announced on Thursday
Apr 28 '16 14:48
The Dutch government is giving municipalities 700 million euros extra this year and next year for asylum seeker integration. The money is intended to be used for education, language lessons and care for asylum seekers
Apr 27 '16 09:16
Utrecht is the first city in the Netherlands to start integrating asylum seekers into society from their first day in the city. The city wants to put an end to the current practice of asylum applicants being moved about and integration starting late. "When you arrive in Utrecht, you stay in Utrecht", GroenLinks alderman Kees Diepeveen said to the Volkskrant. "This creates peace. For school-age children, being dragged around is very dramatic."
Apr 21 '16 07:54
The number of newcomers in the Netherlands that successfully complete the integration program and pass the exam is "alarmingly" low, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs wrote to Parliament on Wednesday. He launched an investigation into why the program is doing so poorly
Apr 18 '16 08:44
Dutch municipalities need hundreds of millions of euros more than the Government is offering them to house and successfully integrate refugees in their cities, according to the four large Dutch cities.
Apr 14 '16 11:30
The vast majority of Dutch are open to refugees being housed in their own municipality, according to a survey done by Necker van Naem among more than 7 thousand people.
Mar 23 '16 11:36
The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament wants Minster Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs and Integration to examine the use of the terms "allochtoon" and "autochtoon". The parliamentarians feel that people's backgrounds should only be pointed out if it is relevant to solving a particular problem.
Feb 19 '16 09:41
The Netherlands and other European countries should only accept asylum seekers who have a chance of finding a job. This selection process is absolutely necessary because Europe can no longer handle the influx of asylum seekers, says Hans de Boer, president of employers organization VNO NCW, in an interview with Dutch newspaper the Telegraaf.
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