According to The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR), an independent government advisory body, the immigrant population of the Netherlands has become significantly more diverse. While the vast majority of migrants to the Netherlands used to come from a few countries—namely Turkey, Morocco, Suriname and the Antilles—in 2017 there were people from 223 countries living in the Netherlands. However, there are wide regional differences in the Netherlands, reflecting different migration patterns.

For example, the WRR points out that in the staunchly Protestant fishing community of Urk, there are barely any people with a recent migrant background, but in farming communities there are high proportions of people with Polish and Bulgarian origins. Meanwhile, in large cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague, a majority of the population have recent roots abroad, and their populations reflect a huge range of different countries.

Even if there were an immediate halt to immigration, the Dutch population would continue to diversify, due to births and deaths. This, the WRR says, has consequences for government policy. Policy designed around ‘classic’ migrant groups will be less effective in the new demographic reality of the Netherlands. Officials should be more aware of the differences in cultural make-up and target services and facilities accordingly. In addition, there should be efforts to improve contact between different population groups.

According to WRR, currently one in five Dutch people has at least one parent who was born abroad. In 1972, 9.2% of the population had at least one foreign-born parent. That number rose to 22.1% by 2016. Of those with at least one foreign-born parent, just under half have European or ‘Anglo Saxon’ roots.

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