More unaccompanied teenagers came to the Netherlands to claim asylum this year than in 2022, according to a report by the justice ministry’s research institute WODC.

By the end of November, over 5,400 unaccompanied minors had requested asylum in the Netherlands, compared with 4,200 in 2022, when coronavirus travel restrictions were phased out. 

Unaccompanied minors now account for 16% of the refugee total, compared with 9% in 2015. 

In the past youngsters were attracted by the relative ease of applying for refugee status and family reunions in the Netherlands, according to immigration service IND. But now, the researchers say, stories about the long waits are starting to circulate.  

Most of the youngsters end up in the Netherlands by chance, and the Dublin rules, which require asylum seekers to apply for refugee status in the first EU country they land in, do not apply to minors, making it easier for them to travel through Europe. 

Sometimes information from human traffickers plays a role in their decision where to stop, but “vague positive associations” such as Dutch football may also play a part, broadcaster NOS reported. They may also have friends or family in the country or have been told about the ease of finding work or going to college. 

On average, their journey takes 18 months to three years. Half the youngsters coming to the Netherlands come from Syria, and they have often moved on from nearby countries in Eastern Europe because they face discrimination or the economic conditions are difficult.