Syrian refugees in the Netherlands are finding it hard to integrate because of both red tape and poor language teaching, according to a new report by the government’s socio-cultural advisory group SCP.

One of the main findings in the report is that the difficulty many face in learning Dutch. The language schools the refugees attended often offered only a few hours of lessons, they questioned the quality of the teachers and some were placed in mixed ability groups which made it harder to make progress.

The refugees also questioned the way they were allocated a place to live, with young, single refugees finding it hard to cope in small villages, without social networks and few job opportunities, while families said they would welcome living in more rural areas.

Nevertheless, ‘the research points to a strong work ethic and motivation to integrate into Dutch society among Syrian permit holders,’ the report said. This is partly related to the wish to earn their own living. In addition, many respondents are also in debt because of the costs of their journey to the Netherlands.

Integration

Changes to the way integration policy is implemented in the Netherlands, which are due to come into effect next year, should alleviate many of the problems experienced by Syrian refugees, the researchers said.

The current ‘do it yourself’ approach to integration is being replaced by one based on giving local authorities control.

Councils will be given budgets to pay for language tuition. Municipalities will also have to devise an individual integration plan for everyone required to take the exams.

The report has an English summary of the findings from page 111.