Most Dutch back labour migration but want a cap, says CBS

A clear majority of adults in the Netherlands think the country should admit labour migrants, but want a limit on their numbers and conditions set on learning Dutch, according to a survey by national statistics office CBS.

Of those questioned, 68% backed admitting labour migrants up to a maximum number and 17% would let in all of them. Just 12% wanted as few as possible and 3% none at all.

Among people who support admission, 82% said both low- and high-paid workers should be welcome, 63% did not mind whether they came from inside or outside the EU, and 58% thought their families should be able to join them.

A conditional welcome

That support comes with strings attached. More than 90% of adults said labour migrants should learn Dutch – two-thirds of them as soon as possible – and 85% said they should adapt to Dutch culture. On pay, 84% said migrants should earn the same as Dutch workers doing the same job.

Three-quarters thought labour migration could ease staff shortages in sectors that struggle to recruit. The government is bringing in stricter rules from 2027 for the agencies that supply many of these workers, in an effort to curb exploitation.

Not every finding was positive. A majority, 62%, thought labour migration would leave fewer homes for people already living in the Netherlands, rising to 70% among adults under 25. A quarter linked it to more crime and nuisance, and a quarter to fewer jobs for Dutch workers.

Split on the tax break

Opinion ran against the perk for some incoming international workers known as the 30% ruling, which lets eligible recruits receive part of their salary tax-free.

A majority – 58% – thought labour migrants should not qualify for it whatever their pay, although only about 40% said they had heard of the scheme.

The findings come from the CBS Belevingen survey, carried out in 2025 among 3,834 adults and conducted only in Dutch. About 7% of respondents described themselves as labour migrants, and people born outside the Netherlands were consistently more likely than others to support admission.