Why Highly Skilled Migrants Are Essential to the Dutch Labour Market

Labour Market Tightness and Skills Shortages

The Netherlands continues to experience a tight labour market, with the number of job vacancies rising and remaining high across key sectors like healthcare, technology, and business services. At the end of 2023, there were 404,000 open vacancies and 374,000 unemployed individuals, meaning there were more jobs than job seekers. For every 100 unemployed people, there were 108 open vacancies (8). Nearly 38% of business owners identified labour shortages as the biggest obstacle to their operations, a trend that has persisted since 2021 (6).

The Role of Highly Skilled Migrants

Highly skilled migrants help bridge these gaps by bringing in-demand expertise, particularly in sectors such as ICT, healthcare, engineering, and academia. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), around 21,510 highly skilled migrants from outside the EU and associated countries arrived in the Netherlands in 2023, despite an 18% decrease compared to 2024. At the end of 2021, there were approximately 60,000 highly skilled migrants from outside the EU/EFTA living in the Netherlands (5). The total size of the knowledge migrant population is estimated to be around 90,000 (11).

These professionals are vital for:

• Filling vacancies that cannot be met by the local workforce, especially in high-tech and innovative sectors.

• Supporting the energy transition, digitalisation, and healthcare innovation (5).

• Enhancing diversity, organisational growth, and workforce stability (5).

Economic and Societal Impact

The Dutch government and leading employers recognise that attracting foreign talent is crucial for international competitiveness and innovation. Knowledge migrants often work as teachers, doctors, academic researchers, and IT specialists, contributing directly to the Dutch knowledge economy (5). Multinationals, technology companies, banks, and higher education institutions are among the main sponsors for these professionals (5).

Policy Developments and Future Outlook

While the number of highly skilled migrants dipped in 2023 after 15 years of growth, this group remains essential for addressing structural shortages and supporting long-term economic growth (4). Policy changes, such as stricter entry criteria and revisions to the 30% tax ruling for expats, may influence future migration trends. Nevertheless, the need for international talent is expected to remain high as demographic and economic pressures persist.

References

• DutchNews.nl. Skilled migrant workers down 18% in 2023, bucking 15-year trend. DutchNews.nl 2024;2024(07):1-2.4

• CBS. Knowledge migrant. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek 2024;2024(27):1-2.2

• Holland Times. Dutch society is hardening and highly skilled immigrants are feeling the pressure. Holland Times 2023;2023(07):1-2.5

• NL Times. Dutch job market tightens again, with rise in vacancies in construction and hospitality. NL Times 2025;2025(02):1-2.8

• Staffing Industry Analysts. Dutch hiring expectations less positive for 2025. Staffing Industry Analysts 2024;2024(11):1-2.6

• Netherlands Labour Authority. Reflection – Netherlands Labour Authority Annual Report 2023. Netherlands Labour Authority 2024;2024(03):1-2