There is no scientific evidence that Dutch rules and reception facilities have a ‘pull effect’ on asylum seekers, as is often claimed in the social debate on asylum policy. That’s the conclusion an investigation of the Verwey-Jonker Institute, commissioned by the Scientific Research and Documentation Center (WODC), the knowledge institute for the Ministry of Justice and Security.
According to the researchers, safety and social networks are the most important factors in asylum seekers’ choices to leave their country of origin and seek protection in another country. War, violence, political insecurity, natural disasters and insufficient hope for a better life are the main reasons people leave their country. Infrastructure and financial resources also play a role. Coincidence also plays a role, for example in encounters with people who offer help or contact with the police.
“Asylum seekers can only make a limited choice for a country where they apply for asylum,” said the researchers. “The question of where someone can go is more important than the question of where someone wants to go.”
Earlier research by the University of Maastricht already showed that Dutch asylum policy plays a limited role in the destination choice of asylum seekers. The new report lists the most recent scientific literature on the motives of asylum seekers.
Presence of family
For asylum seekers within the EU, the main reason for traveling to the Netherlands is the presence of family or friends, according to the study. The Netherlands is also regarded as attractive because of the general security situation, the prosperity and the economic situation, the authors note.
However, according to the researchers, certain parts of the asylum policy can have some influence on transit within the EU. Criteria for granting asylum or rules for family reunification are examples of this. However, these aspects only come into play once asylum seekers are already in the EU. Moreover, according to the researchers, the differences in policy between countries within the EU in this area are relatively small.