Labour migrants with a partner in work are more likely to stay

© ANP / Panos Pictures
More than 6 in 10 labour migrants from the EU/EFTA and nearly 7 in 10 knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA left the Netherlands within five years of arriving here. Labour migrants are less likely to leave if they have a partner and/or children in the Netherlands, and if their partner is in paid work here. Knowledge migrants with a working partner are increasingly likely to remain in the Netherlands for longer than five years. This is according to a new study by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) among 76.4 thousand knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA, and 225 thousand labour migrants from EU/EFTA countries, who came to the Netherlands between 2005 and 2016.

Between 2005 and 2016, 225 thousand labour migrants from the EU/EFTA and 76 thousand knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA came to the Netherlands. That represents 22 percent of total immigration among people not of Dutch nationality. Between 2013 and 2016, 107.3 thousand labour migrants came to the Netherlands from EU/EFTA countries. That was more than twice as many as the number that arrived between 2005 and 2008. Meanwhile, the number of knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA increased from 15.1 thousand between 2005 and 2008 to 36.3 thousand between 2013 and 2016.

Where did the migrants come from?

Among EU/EFTA labour migrants who came to the Netherlands between 2005 and 2016, 32 percent were Polish nationals. German (9 percent), British (8 percent), Italian (7 percent) and French (5 percent) nationals complete the top five countries of origin. Knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA were mainly Indian (29 percent), US (13 percent), Chinese (10 percent), Turkish (6 percent) and Japanese (5 percent) nationals.

Importance of living situation and work status of partner

Most EU/EFTA labour migrants (72 percent) and knowledge migrants (62 percent) are alone one year after they arrive in the Netherlands (i.e. they are not registered as having a partner or children at their address in the Netherlands). Twenty-five percent of labour migrants were living with a partner when they arrived in the Netherlands, while for knowledge migrants the share was 38 percent. Sixteen percent of EU/EFTA labour migrants and 13 percent of knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA had a partner in paid employment. In most cases, they had no children living in the Netherlands.

Around 7 in 10 labour migrants left within five years

Almost 7 in 10 EU/EFTA labour migrants and knowledge migrants left the Netherlands within five years. This rate increased slightly among labour migrants over the three periods studied. Among knowledge migrants, on the other hand, it fell to 62 percent in the most recent group studied (those who arrived between 2013 and 2016), compared with 70 percent in previous groups.

Polish labour migrants more likely to leave, knowledge migrants from India stay for longer

Labour migrants from Poland (and also from Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary) who came to the Netherlands between 2013 and 2016 were more likely to leave after five years (70 percent) than Polish labour migrants who came to the Netherlands between 2005 and 2008 (58 percent).

Knowledge migrants from India, on the other hand, left less and less often. Among knowledge migrants who came to the Netherlands between 2005 and 2008, 79 percent left within five years. Among those who came between 2013 and 2016 the share leaving within 5 years was 65 percent.

Chance of leaving is smaller if migrant lives with family, especially if partner is working

There is almost no difference between men and women when it comes to the likelihood of leaving within five years. Migrants who live alone or with non-family members are more likely to leave than labour migrants with a partner and/or children in the Netherlands.

Labour migrants are also less likely to leave if their partner is in paid employment. This applies to both EU/EFTA labour migrants and knowledge migrants from outside the EU/EFTA. Labour migrants are increasingly likely to stay in the Netherlands if they have a partner or children here. This applies particularly to knowledge migrants. In relative terms, not many labour migrants live with their partner and/or child as soon as they arrive in the Netherlands, and the study only looked at the partner's living situation and employment status in the first year after arriving.

Those earning the lowest wages are the most likely to leave

Labour migrants earning the lowest wages are the most likely to leave. Among EU/EFTA labour migrants, those earning the second-lowest wages are the next most likely to leave. However, among knowledge migrants, those earning the lowest wages are actually the least likely to leave. Self-employed people also have a relatively low probability of leaving within five years. This is probably because of the investment they need to make in order to work in the Netherlands. People whose wages are unknown are most likely to leave.

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