How Minister’s Budget Cuts Impact Support for Asylum Seekers

In the coming months, asylum seekers in the Netherlands will receive less direct support from VluchtelingenWerk in a growing number of asylum seeker centers (AZCs). Currently, the organization is active in over 350 reception locations, but due to government budget cuts, this will gradually decrease to just seventy.

In Friesland, VluchtelingenWerk still operates in almost all AZCs and emergency shelters. However, some of these locations will close their service desks. According to spokesperson Bart Lauret, it’s still unclear which locations will remain active. “What we do know is that the locations where we stay will need to be easily accessible by public transport. These locations will function as hubs.”

The budget cut comes after a decision made by Marjolein Faber, the former Minister for Asylum and Migration, in January. Faber decided to reduce the subsidy VluchtelingenWerk receives for supporting asylum seekers through their asylum process to 13 million euros per year, while the organization claims it needs 34 million euros to carry out its work.