Edgar de Beule Labour migration The image of migrant workers and The Netherlands as migration country

Introduction (add visual)

Developments Dutch labour market Vision of Dutch companies about the future labour market and consequences of ageing. 40% expects a shortage of work force in the future and 23% sees this as a threat for their business. As a solution, 9% would consider temporary work force from abroad. Due to ageing companies expect higher costs for employees and a shortage of work force because of a higher demand of replacements. As a solution, 18% would consider temporary work force from abroad. Mainly industrial and care companies see a shortage of work force as a threat for their business.

Image of migration workers The Dutch society and companies about the image they have of Polish migration workers. 38% of the Dutch society: migrant workers are a good development. However, most inhabitants and companies have negative associations with migrant workers: Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, cheap and (for companies) language barrier. Society Should have the same rights and conditions as Dutch employees Are exploited Do jobs the Dutch don’t want to do Badly integrated Steal jobs from the Dutch Cause trouble Companies Hard workers Motivated Flexible Cheap Not always employable for higher positions Communication is difficult After the large increase of refugees in Europe and The Netherlands, still 35% states that migrant workers are a good development.

Job guarantee Potential and current Polish migrant workers about their expectations regarding job guarantee in Poland and in The Netherlands. The expectations of current and potential Polish migrant workers about finding a job in Poland are very low: Difficult to find job in Poland: 67% of potential and 65% of current migrant workers. Insecure about job in Poland: 69% of employed potential migrant workers. Gap: potential migrant workers are more positive about the future expectations of finding a job abroad: Easy to find job abroad: 47% of potential and 50% of current migrant workers. Future: 60% of potential migrant workers think easier and 57% of current migrant workers think more difficult. The younger and the more one adapts to The Netherlands (language and culture), the easier it is to find a job in The Netherlands.

Working in The Netherlands Potential and current Polish migrant workers about the reason to work abroad and the type of work they (intend) to do. 73% of the potential Polish migrant workers indicate that they would like to work in The Netherlands. Germany (76%), England (75%) and Norway (73%) are also popular. Salary is the most important reason for potential migrant workers to work abroad. Potential Polish migrant workers Production-industry53% Administration39% Horticulture28% Logistics27% Technique23% Current Polish migrant workers Production-industry54% Logistics37% Horticulture29% Technique8% Administration5% This, and low job offer in Poland, are also the most important reasons why current Polish migrant workers came to The Netherlands. Gap: potential migrant workers mainly intend to find a job in production-industry and administration. However, only 5% of current migrant workers has a job in administration.

Education level Potential and current Polish migrant workers about accepting jobs below or above their level of education and their intention to attend additional training courses. 90% of potential Polish migrant workers would accept a job below their educational level. In reality, 54% of the current Polish migrant workers work below their educational level and 9% works above it. Gap: 94% is willing to follow additional training, but only 28% has actually followed this. More additional training is needed to ensure migrant workers a job equal or above their educational level and are therefore employable for higher positions. More women and migrant workers with a high educational level are working below their educational level.

Image of The Netherlands Potential and current Polish migrant workers about the image they have about The Netherlands. Mainly positive associations with The Netherlands: tulips, windmills, Amsterdam, flowers and freedom Potential Polish migrant workers 62% positive and current 70% positive. Striking: potential migrant workers mention drugs and marihuana as positive and negative associations, while current migrant workers mention this mainly as negative associations. Gap: in reality migrant workers feel a little less welcome in The Netherlands than expected. Feeling welcome: potential Polish migrant workers 58% and current 52% (22% doesn’t feel welcome). Younger, high educated and working migrant workers feel more welcome than older, average educated and unemployed migrant workers. “Discrimination and intolerance against foreigners” “Bad/worse working and living circumstanses than the Dutch” “Bad treatment by employer (minimum wages, bad jobs)”

Questions?

Final advise We need migrant workers and the image of The Netherlands is important. A professional organization of labour migration can contribute to prevent exploitation of migrant workers in The Netherlands and a smooth operation of labour migration. Potential migrant workers are more positive about The Netherlands than current Polish migrant workers, which indicates a less optimistic reality. Negative judgements about labour migrants in The Netherlands cause this. Migrant workers can change this by learning the language and adapting themselfs to the country.