News item | 08-04-2022 | 16:03
The cabinet has asked municipalities and provinces to provide housing for 13,500 status holders in the second half of 2022. This concerns asylum seekers who have received a residence permit in the Netherlands because they have fled war, violence or persecution, for example. State Secretary Van der Burg of Justice and Security discussed this earlier at the National Regietafel Migration and Integration (LRT). The so-called target was published in the Government Gazette on 8 April.
The target is based on the expected number of asylum seekers who will receive a residence permit in the period from April 1 to September 30 of 2022. That number has been set at more than 9,000. The mid-term evaluation showed that in the second half of 2021 the number of asylum seekers who received a residence permit was ultimately higher than expected. This is because, for example, more Afghan evacuees have come to the Netherlands than expected. This number is in addition to the forecast of more than 9,000. In total, the target for the second half of 2022 has thus been set at a number of 13,500 status holders to be accommodated for which municipalities must prepare. The backlogs from the previous target are automatically carried forward and are not included in the number of 13,500.
In July 2022, another interim evaluation will be carried out to see whether the expectation is correct or whether adjustments need to be made. If it turns out that more permit holders need to be accommodated, this will be moved to the next task.
Asylum reception under great pressure
Due to the housing shortage, it is sometimes difficult for municipalities to provide housing. At the same time, the reception capacity of the COA reception centers is under great pressure. There are currently approximately 13,000 status holders in COA locations. The outflow to housing is desperately needed to reduce the pressure on the asylum reception.
Ukraine
It is currently impossible to predict how the situation in Ukraine will affect the target. If the number of refugees from Ukraine has a major influence on the required housing, then how housing is arranged will be examined separately from this task.