International employees are increasing in labor market of Zeeland
According to the recently published report “Monitor International Employees”, the number of international employees in Zeeland has intensively increased during recent years. Research organization Decisio has prepared this report for the Expat Center Zeeland and it is based on the most recent CBS microdata.
In 2019 the total number of international employees working in Zeeland was 14.055, of which 10.560 employees live in Zeeland. The report shows that the number of international employees in Zeeland increased by an average of 17% per year in the period 2017-2019.
Most international employees work in the municipalities of Terneuzen, Reimerswaal and Vlissingen. But the numbers are also increasing in other municipalities. For example, there are relatively large increases in the municipalities of Borsele (average of 46% per year), Middelburg (30%) and Kapelle (27%). Decisio sees a strong upward trend in the development of the total number of international employees living in Zeeland between 2010 and 2019 and especially from 2016 onwards.
The working population in Zeeland remains stable due to international employees
At the end of 2019, the working population in Zeeland consisted of 193.000 people. This remains stable with the arrival of international employees (source: Zeeuwse Arbeidsmarktmonitor van Planbureau en Bibliotheek van Zeeland)¹. Inflow is necessary in view of the shortage on the labor market in Zeeland (source: Spanningsindicator Arbeidsmarkt UWV)². There is a shortage of specifically trained workers and/or insufficient capacity in various sectors. In the meantime international employees are now a significant part of the total working population in Zeeland.
Labor migrants
The biggest part of international employees are labor migrants. In total the number is 11.135. This group is about 80% of the total international employees in Zeeland. Most labor migrants come from Poland (34%), followed by Rumania (14%) and Belgium (12%). They mainly work through an agency or through a secondment agency (37%); (sectors are: logistics, food industry and horticulture – report Decisio) and in the sectors tourisme (20%) and agriculture & fishing (19%).
Highly skilled migrants
Also the group of highly skilled migrants increased during the last few years in Zeeland. In 2019 the number of this group working in Zeeland was 2.920. This group represents about 20% of the international workers. They come from Belgium (39%), Poland (8%), followed by Germany (5%). They mainly work in business services (18%), chemical industry (13%) and in the healthcare (13%).
The income of an international employee is determined whether someone is registered as a highly skilled migrant or labor migrant. It is not about the level of education; also labor migrants can be highly educated.
International employees are important for Zeeland
Lian Heller of the Expat Center Zeeland says: “Zeeland cannot be without highly skilled migrants and labor migrants. International employees contribute to maintain and establish the economic strength of Zeeland.”
Ronald de Back of the Expat Center Zeeland continues: “international employees are already of great importance and new developments and economic impulses are coming.”
Attracting international talent will remain. According to Ronald and in view of all the developments, there is an urgent social issue: “It is essential to present Zeeland to the international employees as an attractive region to work and to live. This means that a warm welcome and a smooth integration is important. They offer a valuable contribution to Zeeland and to its economy.”
Integration in Zeeland
It is clear from the story of Sven Witteber that international employees find their way to integrate here. Witteber comes from Frankfurt and lives since January 2020 together with his Zeeland partner in Goes. He works as an account manager at the Zeeland company Pure Blue in Kapellebrug.
Sven explains how he ended up in Zeeland: “I looked in Frankfurt for a job in Zeeland and found a challenging opportunity in water management. We work for municipalities, for the industry and for the maritime sector. Being German, I can assist the inland shipping in Germany. I enjoy to make the world a little better with the innovative work I carry out. It is great to live and work in Zeeland. I am enthusiastic about working together with the local people. The culture is open for changes and the Dutch people show initiative. I can live where other Germans enjoy their holiday. Living here is pleasant and I feel for sure at home in Zeeland. I very much enjoy working and living here.”
Expat Center Zeeland
The Expat Center Zeeland is active since the 4th quarter of 2019. The center provides advice and assistance to international employees and their employers regarding questions expats/internationals may have about working and living in Zeeland and to help internationals to integrate and settle well. Aim is to give a warm welcome and to strengthen the business climate for internationals in Zeeland. Currently the Expat Center is focused on Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and has the ambition to broaden its activities for the whole province. Therefore, an inventory project has started to do research at other municipalities in Zeeland regarding their wishes and needs. To monitor the actual situation well, the mentioned report Monitor International Employees has been prepared.
[1] https://zeeland.databank.nl/dashboard/dashboard/arbeidsaanbod-4
[2] https://www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie/dashboards/spanningsindicator