Fewer highly skilled migrants are moving to the Netherlands

The number of foreign nationals moving to the Netherlands to live and work fell last year, particularly among people from outside the EU, according to new figures from national statistics agency CBS.

It was the second year in a row that the number of new arrivals declined, the CBS said. In total, 316,000 people moved to the Netherlands last year, down 19,000 on 2023. Of these, almost half came from outside the EU, 40% were from EU countries, and 10% were Dutch nationals returning home.

Taking emigration, births and deaths into account, the total population grew by 103,000, CBS said in January.

Last year, around 16,000 people came to the Netherlands on a highly skilled migrant visa, a decrease of 26% on 2023 and 39% on 2022, when numbers surged following the coronavirus pandemic.

In particular, there was a sharp decline in the number of Indian nationals moving to the Netherlands for skilled work in IT and other sectors, CBS said.

The downturn came as the right-wing government worked on plans to reduce the number of people moving to the Netherlands to work and study, despite concerns from companies about shortages of skilled staff.

The fall in arrivals from typical “expat” countries is also reflected in figures from the Netherlands’ international arrival centres, which help newcomers with paperwork and settling in.

Last year, just over 24,400 people used these services, compared with nearly 33,000 in 2023. The centres mainly serve people arriving on highly skilled migrant visas and their families, and do not include all newcomers.

The population of the Netherlands is currently just over 18 million.

Economists and statisticians have repeatedly warned that the country will need to attract more foreign workers to deal with an ageing population and workforce gaps.

The overall population grew by nearly 21,000 in the first quarter of 2025, broadly in line with the same period last year.