Labor participation is an important condition for the integration of beneficiaries. Because on average status holders are at a great distance from the labor market, access to work is often complicated in practice. As a result, status holders often sit at home for a long time and are dependent on social assistance benefits.

Of the refugees who came to the Netherlands since 2014, mainly from Syria, about a quarter found a job after 3.5 years (source: CBS). This usually involved part-time jobs and temporary contracts. Statistics Netherlands does not keep track of whether the work fits with the knowledge and talents that the refugees bring with them.

Which (additional) training opportunities status holders receive often depends on the scope that an employment agency offers for this. Many employment agencies opt for the shortest route to work instead of the most sustainable process:

Recruitment >> Selection/Talent Scan >> Find a match candidate >> Offer Training & Courses.

New integration policy, which was introduced in January alongside our new project "Status Holders @Werk" should change this. Then an 'education route' is part of the integration offer, something we have successfully advocated in recent years.

Many status holders were unable to obtain a clear overview and reputation of existing employment agencies. Then we immediately noticed that things could be done a lot better. Through a survey.

During the corona crisis and in the run-up to our "10 years Status holder 2011-2021" festivities, we sent/held a survey to a few thousand people on our e-mail list, consisting of a number of questions addressed to those who are/have been customers of number of employment agencies. The +/- 12,362 people who eventually completed the survey consisted of 76.57% men and 23.43% women. In terms of age, this group consisted for 75% of people 20 and 45 years old and for 25% of people older than 45 years.

1. Customer focus = The employment agency is/was aware of the expectations of its customer and fulfills them.

2. Image=The employment agency has/had a professional appearance to the outside world.

3. Reliable image=The employment agency has/had a reliable image.

4. Respect & equality = The employment agency treats/treated us as an equal citizen, and is/was committed to our problems.

5. Communication = we have/had an open, honest relationship with employees of the employment agency.