This year again, more international students from outside Europe applied for a residence permit. This trend continues to increase in the number of international students applying for a residence permit. Meanwhile, there is debate about whether and how to slow the flow.
For the next academic year, which begins in September, 17,870 students have already submitted their applications. Last year this was 16,630 for the same period, 1,200 less than this year.
These are mainly students from China, India, the United States, Turkey and Indonesia. About 98 percent of them also obtain a residence permit.
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) only deals with applications from students from outside Europe. Students from EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland do not need to apply for a residence permit.
The annual peak in asylum applications from students
The IND has seen this upward trend for years, the organization wrote in a press release. In the past two years, the number of applications has increased by more than a thousand compared to the previous year.
The IND is responsible for processing all asylum applications. In the months of April to August, there is also a peak in applications from international students.
“We know when applications peak, so we can organize our work accordingly,” says Rhodia Maas, the university’s general director. However, she says it is still a daunting task.
Concerns about the influx of international students
Meanwhile, outgoing Minister Robert Dekgraff (Education, Culture and Science) wants to control the influx of foreign students. The Minister Plenipotentiary said that this group is responsible for overcrowding in lecture halls, a heavy workload for lecturers and a lack of housing, and “puts pressure on access to training”.
At the same time, the Minister stresses the added value of the high international standing occupied by Dutch educational institutions.
The plan is to teach two-thirds of the bachelor’s courses in Dutch, among other things. Students are also required to study the Dutch language.
Uncertainty about plans after the fall of the government
But now that the government has fallen, it is not clear what will happen with these plans. The House of Representatives will decide in September whether it still wants to deal with the minister’s bill that should regulate this matter.
Dikgraph’s plans have been criticized by the educational institutions themselves. For example, Erasmus University Rotterdam says the schemes “cause many questions and unrest” among international students and staff, while the university places great value on this group. “We believe this is true International Classroom It brings a lot to our students, and we shouldn’t miss this.”
