5 months Ago
But employers also highlighted significant challenges, notably around recruiting non-EU graduates. Work permit procedures were “complex, costly and lengthy”, but despite the fact that there were staff shortages in a number of sectors, it was still a barrier.
Opportunities Hampered by Language and Integration Issues
Elli Thravalou, the lead author, said employers often feel reluctant to take on international graduates because of language. Fewer than three in 10 employers did so with frequency, and many graduates find it hard to fit socially into the workplace because of lack of Dutch.
Even if international students do get a recognized Dutch diploma and are acclimated to the local culture, their less developed language abilities can still create a barrier. Thravalou said universities should provide better support by providing Dutch language and contact person courses to help international students gain entry into the employment market.
VU University in Amsterdam currently offers an elementary Dutch course on campus. But as policy adviser Hayke Everwijn cautions, despite their popularity, one shouldn’t expect fluency, since students are still balancing their language studies with the trials of living abroad, and would rather speak English for convenience.
Foreign Students Shun U.S. Amid Policy Shift
Contrast this with the falling numbers of new international students in the Netherlands. In the most recent academic year, the number of bachelor’s-level international students fell by 5.2%, and the number of international students pursuing an hbo education decreased by 6.7%.
The majority of international students in the Netherlands are from the EU or EER, headed by students from Germany, Italy, Romania, and Spain. But there were the fewest German students in a decade. The largest contribution from non-EER countries came from China, India, and Turkey.
This downturn is in line with the Dutch government’s ambition to cap the number of foreign students. Proposed measures include decreasing the number of university courses taught in English to limit student intake and capacity in education locally.
While reluctant to dismiss their demands outright, employers still feel that the overall contribution made by international graduates is worth the trouble, particularly in a tighter labor market.
