3.1 Migration to the Netherlands

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

3.1 Migration to the Netherlands

Learning objectives

After studying this section, you will be able to:

• Name the biggest groups of immigrants in the Netherlands and explain why they came here.
• Put the arrival of current groups of migrants to the Netherlands into the correct chronological order.

Guest workers

In the 1960s guest workers from the Mediterranean came here to work temporarily.

Also called migrant workers.

Return migration was the plan, but most of them stayed here.

Former colonies

Biggest groups:

• Indonesia (1945) 
• Surinam (1975)
• Antilles (1986)

Reasons:

1. They speak Dutch.
2. No trust in independence.

Refugees

Refugees are people who flee from danger (mostly war).

Top 5 (2018):

1. Syria
2. Iran
3. Eritrea
4. Turkey
5. Algeria

Seasonal workers

Rapid growth after 2004, because many countries in Eastern Europe became EU member states.

Circular migration = migration 

between the home country and another country for work.

Within a year = seasonal migration.

Essence

The population of the Netherlands includes four distinct groups of immigrants. Firstly, guest workers from Morocco and Turkey who have stayed in our country. Secondly, people from former colonies: Indonesia, Surinam and the Dutch Antilles. Thirdly, refugees, who fled from different places around the world where it was unsafe. Fourthly, circular and seasonal migrants from Eastern Europe, of which most decide not to stay in the Netherlands.

Aren’t we all descended from migrants?

It is not only during recent decades that people have arrived in our country; for centuries and millennia before, people came to the area we now call the Netherlands. Around the beginning of the era, it was the Romans and during the Middle Ages, it was the Saxons. Later on, Portuguese, Spanish, German and French people came to the Netherlands. Maybe one of your ancestors from long ago was in one of these groups of people!

Look at the planner in Teams for the homework!