News item | 29-05-2026 | 14:57
Newcomers must participate in our society as quickly as possible. This is not yet successful among female status holders. Only one in five women who are allowed to stay in our country works. Minister Thierry Aartsen (Work and Participation) wants more female status holders to work. To start with, a specific approach will be introduced in 10 municipalities to achieve this.
The best way to be at the center of our society as quickly as possible is to work. Then you contribute to our society, learn the language and use benefits as little as possible. That is good for integration and for our economy. It is also what we expect from newcomers, men and women. I therefore want to quickly expand this approach to many more municipalities, said Minister Aartsen.
Between 2014 and 2024, approximately 70,000 women were granted residence status. Of these, 22% are working. Just under half of the men work. Female status holders are catching up. Between 2022 and 2024, the percentage of working women increased from 17% to 22%, while the share of men remained virtually the same.
Skills
There are various reasons why female status holders work less. They have often not worked in their country of origin and lack the necessary skills and work experience for a job. It is also difficult for them to combine care tasks at home with work. In addition, female status holders receive less support in finding a job, while they more often receive long-term social assistance benefits. So it is good that municipalities specifically focus on this by offering these women equal opportunities for work.
Specific approach
10 municipalities will now start an approach specifically aimed at work for female status holders. This concerns Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Enschede, Leiden, Zwolle, Alphen aan de Rijn, Barneveld and De Liemers. They follow an approach that Arnhem-Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN) has developed for this purpose. Research by the HAN shows, among other things, that guidance towards work for these women works better in a group than individually. It is also important that they learn to discover their talents and passions in the field of work.
The trial in the 10 municipalities is financially supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. The approach fits in with the government’s objective that more newcomers, men and women, actively participate in our society with work. Minister Aartsen will present a new, broad approach to work for newcomers before the summer.