Judges in Arnhem have ruled that a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Nigeria should be allowed to work more than the permitted 24 weeks a year and that the state jobs agency UWV should give him a new work permit.

The man, known as Elvis, fled with his girlfriend in 2020 and was living in a refugee centre in Harderwijk when he found work in a nearby slaughterhouse.

Under current rules, asylum seekers who have not been given residency permits are not allowed to work more than 24 weeks a year so that they do not get the idea that their request for refugee status will be honoured. They also have to wait nine months before being allowed to work at all.

The cabinet also wants to stop asylum seekers from potentially being entitled to unemployment benefit, to avoid the ‘difficult situation’ of someone being faced with deportation who is entitled to benefits – even though by law claimants must be in the Netherlands.

Maarten van Panhuis, from social work project RefugeeConnect, told local news site Hardewijkse Zaken that the ruling was ‘fantastic’ and extremely well-supported. ‘It gives me hope,’ he said.

He and Elvis had also pointed out that refugees from Ukraine do not face any restrictions on work.

The court ruled that the current situation in the Netherlands is at odds with European rules which say asylum seekers should have access to the jobs market, so that they become self-sufficient and are better integrated into society.

The UWV said it was studying the ruling closely together with the relevant ministry officials.