Amsterdam to introduce integration course for expat residents
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By Simone Jacobs
The city of Amsterdam has voted in favour of introducing an initiative to help expats integrate into the city. This means that internationals living in the Dutch capital will need to take part in integration courses, like Dutch courses.
What will be included in Amsterdam’s expat integration course?
Amsterdam has debated plans to introduce integration courses for quite some time, this being the third time the initiative has been proposed. However, this time the plan titled “Make Amsterdam your home” was passed by the local government with 34 votes in favour and 8 against.
Included in the integration courses will be Dutch language lessons, courses on local culture and history, and practical lessons on things like traffic rules. International residents will also be introduced to neighbourhood initiatives, such as clubs, and volunteer organisations. Meetings will also be organised for newcomers to meet long-term residents. However, according to AD, the exact content of the integration courses still needs to be fleshed out.
Who needs to take integration courses in Amsterdam?
The focus of the initiative appears to be aimed at people with highly skilled residence permits. Leader of the local PvdA party Lian Heinhuis, who first proposed the integration plan, has often referred to the “expat scheme” when mentioning the initiative.
Under the highly skilled migrant scheme, highly educated workers are drawn to the Netherlands by with certain perks, such as tax breaks like the 30 percent ruling. "Why do migrants who fled war have to undergo compulsory integration, and migrants with generous salaries do not?” Heinhuis told NRC. “Expats are not expected to do anything at all, in fact, they get a 30 percent tax rebate for five years."
Internationals won’t have to carry the burden of the integration courses alone though, as the plan intends to have employers contribute to the costs. Companies, such as Booking.com and Adyen, that bring people over to work in the Netherlands will then be responsible for their integration.
Thousands of Dutch expats live in international “bubble”
According to AD, figures from research agency Decisio have shown that the number of internationals moving to the Dutch capital for work rose from 26.300 in 2010 to more than 90.000 in 2022. This number rises by 10 percent every year and does not include the families of the migrants, international students or PhD candidates.
According to locals, the problem is that many of these “expats” don’t try to learn the language or participate in events in the neighbourhood. They are also concerned about the rising income inequality, housing shortage, and higher housing prices, which they attribute to the influx of migrants.
“Don't get me wrong: Amsterdam is a city built on migrants and that is something we as Amsterdammers are proud of. But the increasing individualisation also ensures that we increasingly live in bubbles, including internationals. We have to keep meeting each other," said Heinhuis
The hope is that the integration courses will not only help internationals feel a part of the city, but that they will also socialise more with locals. "The figures show that many internationals are lonely, I also heard that from the internationals I spoke to. The course will last a while and will take place in society. Practising language at the market or in the brown café, learning by singing sentimental songs."
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more