Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and the rest of the G40 – a network of 40 mid-sized and large cities – have called on central government to close what they say is a €135 million annual shortfall in budget for running integration courses.
The cities issued the appeal ahead of Thursday’s parliamentary debate on the government’s spring budget, saying the number of people who have to take the course has roughly doubled, while funding has stayed flat.
Since January 2022, local authorities have been responsible for guiding newcomers through the Dutch inburgering process, including language classes, help finding work and an individual integration plan. The cities say they cannot meet those duties on the current budget, and that waiting lists are growing.
Local authorities worked with around 36,000 people a year in 2023 and 2024, close to double the figure forecast when the new integration law took effect. The local-authority association VNG put the annual shortfall at €100 million in November 2024. It has now revised that upwards to €135 million.
The pressure falls particularly hard on the biggest cities because the families of refugees and others required to take the courses make up 50% to 60% of the caseload. They do not generally qualify for welfare, so their integration costs cannot be subsidised by benefits budget.
The cities say the cabinet’s stated ambition that newcomers “participate as quickly as possible” is unachievable on the current budget.
