Fewer refugees and family members came to the Netherlands in the second quarter of this year, according to new figures from the IND immigration service.

In total, 7,700 people made their first application for refugee status between April and June, down 14% on the first quarter. In particular, there was a 43% plunge in the number of applications from Iraqi nationals.

At the same time, some 2,780 close relatives came to join family members who had been given refugee status, down 310 the first quarter. There was a notable drop in applications from Syrians, even though they still account for 70% of relatives arriving in the Netherlands.

Compared with 2023, there was a slight rise in relatives arriving in the Netherlands.

The previous government fell on divisions about how to reduce the number of refugees coming to the Netherlands, in particular claims by the then-justice minister Dilan Yesilgöz that thousands of relatives of relatives were moving here. Those claims later proved to be false.

In the first six months of this year, 16,700 people made an initial application for refugee status and 5,800 family members joined close relatives who were already here. Both figures are up by roughly 1,500 on the same period in 2023.

The new government includes a designated minister for refugees and immigration from the far right PVV who has pledged to implement the “the toughest regime ever for admitting refugees.”