The housing shortage in the Netherlands is dire and in a search for causes, the public and political debate are regularly made to migrants. Work and asylum migrants indeed have an influence on the housing scarcity. But according to experts, that influence is not great.
The Netherlands is struggling with a shortage of 400,000 homes. Young adults with difficulty looking for a first owner -occupied home and others are on waiting lists for a social rental home for years.
According to the government report The state of migration, 314,000 people came to the Netherlands last year. They mainly came for family, work, study or asylum. According to provisional figures, 205,000 left the Netherlands. The population therefore grew with 109,000 people who have to live somewhere.
“But you can’t just compare those numbers with the housing shortage, because part of the migrants is housed differently. For example, by employers, or in AZCs,” says Marlou Schrover, professor of Economic and Social History at Leiden University.
According to her, other factors have more influence on the housing shortage. Among other things, she mentions the faltering housing, the smaller households (which means that more homes are needed) and the increasingly larger homes of Dutch people.
Government policy has been counterproductive, says Schrover. “In the nineties, politicians wanted to encourage the possession of their own home. As a result, many social rental homes were sold. For example, more owner -occupied homes came, but less affordable rental properties. As a result, waiting lists became huge. Then it is said that it is due to migration.”
“Of course, migration influences the housing shortage, but not nearly as much as suggested. It is nonsense to claim that housing shortage is the result of migration.”
Asylum migrants are mentioned a lot in politics when it comes to the influence on the housing market. The now -a -way cabinet came up with a proposal to prohibit municipalities to give priority to status holders in assigning social rental housing. The Council of State judged destructively, but Minister Mona Keijzer of Housing continued the proposal on Friday.
But asylum migration is a small part of the total migration. In the past ten years it involved 11 percent. Last year they were 46,400 people. If they get a residence status, they are usually based in social rental homes.
“If you look at how many social rental homes go to status holders, then that is around 4 to 7 percent annually,” says Ruben van Gaalen, demographer of statistics agency CBS. It is important to note that not every migrant gets his own home. Families live together, for example.
“Numbers of migrants and numbers of households are often confused,” says Van Gaalen. “Many migrants are children, you shouldn’t count them. You can parts such a number of 46,400 people about three when it comes to homes.”
In some regions, the impact of migration on the housing shortage can be more noticeable, says Van Gaalen. “Moreover, not all municipalities have many corporation homes.”
It may also seem as if status holders have more homes than is actually the case. At the end of 2022, for example, there were 2.1 million corporate homes, of which 2.1 percent were inhabited by status holders. But Statistics Netherlands also looked at the former status holders, who have had Dutch nationality for a while. That percentage is 7.5 percent.
“The shortage in the housing market has to do with all kinds of things,” says Van Gaalen. “Aging, smaller households, rising housing costs, few new corporation homes. But immigration contributes to it.”
The group of people who come to the Netherlands for work, study and family is much greater. From 2013 to 2022, 26 percent of migrants came for work, 17 percent to study and 27 percent for the family.
Although the group of migrants who come for work is greatest, the call to limit labor migration sounds less loud than with asylum migration. Work migrants are important for the Dutch economy.
“If migration were to be locked, certain sectors would have a hard time on the labor market,” says Marja Elsinga, professor of housing policy at TU Delft. “Many migrants work in construction and horticulture.”
“But whatever type of migration it is, without migration the Dutch population would shrink and then you have a completely different problem. Controlling would be at the expense of real estate, so that touches real estate owners, the construction sector, the brokerage and the home furnishing sector.”
Elsinga also points out that there are many rules and perverse incentives in the Netherlands that make better use of living space. “For example, the closing of the care homes in 2014, to ensure that people could continue to live at home for as long as possible. That has caused an inefficient use of care and living space.”
It refers to the State Committee for Demographic Developments 2050. This government committee argued last year for moderate population growth to ensure that living, care and education remain easily accessible for everyone. “That committee also mentions the importance of good senior housing.”
“Migration certainly plays a role in the housing shortage, but in my view it is not the most important bottleneck ,” says Professor of Housing Market Peter Boelhouwer of TU Delft. “We do not build the numbers of homes that we would have to build. Nitrogen rules, a crowded power grid, slow permits and staff shortages are in the way.”
He finds it ridiculous that Keijzer will continue her proposal on status holders. “The State would lose any lawsuit on this. In the meantime, the advice of the State Committee on Demographic Developments, on limiting the total amount of migration, is being picked up by almost no party.”
According to Boelhouwer, politics plays a bad role. “By cutting back on reception places for asylum seekers and now also tinkering with the inflow, the entire chain gets stuck. In the meantime, they deprive municipalities of the instruments to house those people. For example, they organize that asylum crisis.”
The Housing Shortage in The Netherlands is Dire, and in a search for causes, migrants are Regularly Pointed to in Public and Political Debate. Labor and Asylum Migrants do have an impact on the housing shortage. But accordance to experts, that influence is not great.
The Netherlands is facing a shortage of 400,000 homes. Young Adults are struggling to find a First Home to Buy, and Others Are on Waiting Lists for Social Housing for Years.
Accordance to the Government Report the State of Migration, 314000 people came to the Netherlands Last Year. They Mainly Came for Family, Work, Study Or Asylum. Accordance to Provisional Figures, 205,000 Left the Netherlands. The Population Therefore Grew by 109,000 people who have to live somewhere.
“But you can’t just compare those numbers with the housing shortage, because part of the migrants are housed differently. For example, by employers, OR in Asylum centers,” Says Marlou Schrover, Professor of Economic and Social History at Leiden University.
Accordance to her, other factors have more influence on the housing shortage. She Mentions The Faltering House Construction, The Smaller Households (which mean more houses are needed) and the Increasingly Larger Houses of Dutch People.
Government Policy Has Backfired, Says Schrover. “In the 1990s, politicians wanted to Encourage Home Ownership. As a result, many social rental homes were sold. This created more owner-iccupied homes, but fower affordable rental homes. This made waiting lists extremely.
“Whether Course, Migration has an impact on the housing shortage, but not nearly as much as is suggested. It is nonsense to claim that the housing shortage is the result of migration.”
Asylum Migrants Are Often Mentioned in Politics When It Comes to the Impact On The Housing Market. The now outgoing cabinet came up with a proposal to prohibit muticiPalities from giving priority to status hollowers when allocating social rental housing. The Council of State ruled Devastatingly, But Minister Mona Keijzer of Housing Neverbertheless Pushed The Proposal Through On Friday.
Butylum Migration is a small part of Total Migration. In The Past Ten Years It Has Been about 11 percent. Last year it was 46,400 people. If they receive a residence status, they are usually houses in social rental housing.
“If you look at how many social rental homes go to status hollowers, that is about 4 to 7 percent annually,” Says Ruben van Gaalen, demographer at Statistics Agency CBS. It is important to note here that not every migrant gets their own home. For example, Live Together families.
“Numbers of Migrants and Numbers of Households Are Often Confused,” Says van Gaalen. “Many migrants are children, you shouldnn’t count them. Such a number of 46,400 people can be divided by about three when it comes to homes.”
In Some Regions, the Impact of Migration on the Housing Shortage May be More NoticeBey, Says van Gaalen. “MoreOover, not all Municipalities have many Corporation Homes.”
It may also seem as if status holders have more homes than is actual the case. At the end of 2022, for example, there were 2.1 Million Corporation Homes, 2.1 percent of which were Occupied by Status Holders. But Statistics Netherlands also looked at the Former Status Holders, who has Dutch Nationality for Some Time. That percentage is 7.5 percent.
“The Tightness of the Housing Market Has to Do with All Kinds of Things,” Says van Gaalen. “Aging, narrower households, rising housing costs, few new corporation homes. But immigration contributions to it.”
The Group of People Coming to the Netherlands for Work, Study and Family is Much Larger. From 2013 to 2022, 26 percent of migrants came for work, 17 percent to study and 27 percent for family.
Althegh the Group of Migrants Who Come for Work is The Largest, The Call To Limit Labor Migration is Less Loud Than In The Case of Asylum Migration. Labor Migrants Are Important for the Dutch Economy.
“If Migration Were To Be Shut Down, Certain Sectors would Have a Very Difficult Time on the Labor Market,” Says Marja Elsinga, Professor of Housing Policy at TU Delft. “Many Migrants Work in Construction and Horticulture.”
“But whatever type of migration it is, Without Migration the Dutch Population would Shrink and then you have a very different problem. Shrinkage would be at the Expense of the Value of Real Estate, So That Affects Real Estate and The Construction Sector, The Construction Sector, The Construction Sector, The Construction sector,” The Construction Sector, The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector, The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector Sector, The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector,” The Construction Sector, “The Construction Sector,” “Sector Sector,” “” Sector Sector, “” “Sector Sector,” “Sector.
Elsinga Further Points Out That Are Many Rules and Perverse Incentives in the Netherlands that make it diffcomed to make better use of living space. “The Closure of Nursing Homes in 2014, For Example, to Ensure That People Could Continue to Live At Home For As Long As Possible. That has led inefficient use of care and Living Space.”
She refers to the National Commission on Demographic Developments 2050. This Government Commission Argued Last Year for Moduction population Growth to Ensure That Housing, Care and Education Remain Easily Accessible to Everyone. “That committee also mentions the importance of good senior housing.”
“Migration Certainly Plays a Role in the Housing Shortage, but in My Opinion It is not the most important Bottleneck ,” Says Housing Market Professor Peter Boelhouwer From Tu Delft. “We are not building the number of homes that we should be building. Nitrogen rules, an overcrowded electricity grid, slow permit granting and staff shortages are in the way.”
He thinks it is ridiculous that Keijzer is pushing through her proposal on status holders. “The State would Lose Every Lawsuit About It. In The Meantime, The Advice of the National Commission on Demographic Developments, On Limiting the Total Amount of Migration, is Hardly Tasks Up By Any Party.”
Accordance to Boelhouwer, Politics plays a negative role. “By Cutting Back On Reception Places for Asylum Seekers and Now also Tinkering with the influx, That entire chain Gets stuck. In the MeanMe, they are depriving MUNICIPALITIES OF THE INSTRUMENSS TO HOUSE THSE MESSELS.