A new study has determined how much money migration from different countries brings into the Netherlands and costs taxpayers across the country.
The study conducted by the Germany-based Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) shows that migrants arriving from the UK, US and Japan brought in more money than they took out of the country.
Meanwhile, those arriving from countries such as Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq, the majority of whom are asylum seekers, were found to cost the Dutch taxpayer the most.
The findings, based on data from 2016, show that the factors causing migration into the country have a huge impact on their economic impact.
The report says: “Labour migrants who enter before age 60 make a positive net contribution to the government budget, more than €100,000 per immigrant when they arrive between ages 20 and 50.
The study found that those arriving from North America for work contributed, on average, a sum of €210,000.
The findings suggest that those arriving for family or education reasons and seeking asylum have a “negative net contribution” in terms of their financial input.
It estimates that those seeking asylum in the country cost the Dutch state €400,000 (£330,000) throughout their lifetimes.
The cost to taxpayers derives primarily from their lower tax and social security contributions rather than from direct payments by the state.
Authors of the study Jan van de Beek, Joop Hartog, Gerrit Kreffer and Hans Roodenburg said: “The negative contribution is especially large for asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East.”
The findings come as immigration continues to be a significant issue in the country, with prime minister Dick Schoof promising to implement the country’s strictest-ever policy on asylum to cut the number of arrivals by 100,000 each year.
Last month, the right-wing Dutch coalition led by anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders introduced border controls with Germany and Belgium to stem the flow of illegal migration into the country. This measure could be a breach of EU rules.
