Dutch minister launches pilot programmes to boost employment for status holders

Minister Thierry Aartsen of Work and Participation announced a target to help 75,000 status holders find jobs within four years, addressing the low employment rate – only one in five women and half of men among status holders work, and 79 % remain unemployed two years after receiving a residence permit.

In Nijmegen, the ZZG Zorggroep is running a six‑month language‑internship scheme that places status holders in care settings while they improve Dutch. Participant Shaemaa Alawi, a Syrian‑trained nurse, said: “I want to further grow in care” and noted that “the Dutch language was initially a big challenge”. After the internship, trainees are assessed for suitability for a care qualification and possible employment.

In Groningen, the municipality organised a “carousel” where groups of status holders visit a rotating set of local companies. The initiative, supported by entrepreneurs such as Onno Smid, aims to create low‑threshold contacts rather than immediate job placements; so far only a few participants have secured permanent positions. Both pilots seek to demonstrate that status holders can fill labour shortages and integrate more quickly when language and employer connections are addressed.