From Registration to Integration: Supporting New Residents in Reimerswaal
Last week, our advisor Veerle had the opportunity to visit the municipality of Reimerswaal, where she was welcomed by Arianne Dommanschet from the Civil Affairs department. This visit provided valuable insight into how the municipality supports labor migrants during their registration process and how the WIN point (Work in NL) offers additional assistance.
During the visit, Veerle observed the registration of a Romanian family. The father has lived and worked in the Netherlands as a self-employed worker for several years, and now his wife and young daughters have officially joined him in Zeeland. With the help of colleague Tamar Duivewaarde, the family completed the necessary forms, and important documents like passports, birth certificates, and the marriage certificate were carefully scanned and linked into the Personal Records Database.
Once the registration is verified, Citizen Service Numbers (BSNs) will be issued, enabling the family to arrange essentials such as health insurance, DigiD, school enrollment, and banking. The father shared that his daughters will begin school in Kruiningen this September. An exciting step in their integration journey.
The visit also highlighted how the municipality frequently handles practical requests from new residents, such as providing official extracts for purchasing a car. Before leaving, these visitors received information about the WIN point to help them navigate their new lives.
The Romanian father expressed his desire to buy a home in the municipality, though overbidding makes this challenging. We offered to provide him with information and resources to support this goal. He reflected on the freedom he experiences in the Netherlands. he says he initially had to learn how to appreciate this freedom in for example work, and noted how valuable such support and information are.
Veerle concludes that the visit was an insightful and educational experience, demonstrating the strength of collaboration in supporting (new) residents of Reimerswaal.
