Amsterdam pilot helps over 300 asylum seekers secure paid jobs

The Amsterdam municipality’s employment trial involved 1,017 asylum seekers from three local shelters, aiming to integrate them into the labor market. Results show 332 participants now hold paid jobs, primarily in hospitality, transport, logistics, and also in cleaning, industry, retail, care, ICT, and construction. Another 312 have taken concrete steps toward employment, such as interview participation, thanks to municipal mediation.

Collaboration with the COA and UWV facilitated matching with companies and handled necessary administrative tasks. Employers described the workers as motivated, eager to learn, and reliable, often outperforming regular job seekers. City alderman Sofyan Mbarki highlighted the importance of work for asylum seekers’ dignity and rapid integration, linking the pilot to broader national goals of addressing labor shortages.