Value-based labour migration: less where possible, more where necessary’ advisory report
The Dutch Social and Economic Council (SER) strives for a future-proof economy with high-quality work for everyone. For an open economy like the Netherlands’, labour migration is essential. It helps address shortages, contributes to economic growth, and supports the sustainability of the welfare state. Work has become the primary motive for migration.
Over the past fifteen years, the number of international workers entering the Netherlands annually has tripled, primarily due to increasing labour migration from Central and Eastern Europe and countries outside the EU. Currently, between 735,000 and 1.1 million international workers work in the Netherlands.
Main outline of the advice
At the same time, the current scale of labour migration and use of migrant workers raises fundamental questions about its practical feasibility and public support. Specifically, the SER has three concerns in this regard. First, the SER considers the (legal) position of low-paid migrant workers problematic. Abuses still occur too frequently, and good employer practices are insufficiently rewarded. Furthermore, the SER believes that labour migration has still not been sufficiently integrated into a broader policy approach. Investments in the economy and labour market should be made first – with a focus on broad labour participation and innovation – before focusing on labour migration. The SER also believes that the current focus on labour migration is not yet sufficiently aligned with the major societal challenges and transitions facing the Netherlands.
