Recent research has shown that migrants are moving to the Netherlands mainly in order to find work. Most labour migrants are from other European countries, according to new figures released by Statistics Netherlands.

The figures are based on data from 2000 to 2009, before the debt crisis hit European economies. Since then the number of family reunification migrants in particular has fallen as a result of new, stricter Dutch restrictions of family reunification. The European Commission is expected to decide in March on Europe-wide limits on family members from abroad joining their emigrated relatives in the EU.

Poland
A strong rise of labour migration after 2005 is explained by the favourable economic situation in the Netherlands at the time, and with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU.

By 2009 the largest group with 8777 individuals, about a quarter of all labour immigrants, were Poles. After Poland, Germany, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom are the main sources of migrant labourers  moving to the Netherlands for work.

Labour migration from Asia increased until 2008; most immigrants are highly qualified professionals from India and China who were allowed to enter the country under the Netherlands' so-called Knowledge Migrants scheme.

(rk)