Most recruitment agencies that work with migrant workers separate employment contracts from lease contracts. This was confirmed by the ABU trade union Reports of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

This measure aims to make migrant workers less dependent on their employer. By separating employment and lease contracts, employees can keep their homes if they lose their jobs for any reason.

From April 1, the new policy applies to all ABU members. It has 520 members and thus represents about 65 percent of the temporary labor market. Therefore, the amendment does not apply to all private recruitment agencies.

There have been serious abuses involving migrant workers for years. This action is in response to the Roemer Commission’s wishes. In some recruitment agencies, migrant workers depend on their clients for work, housing and health insurance, the commission concluded three years ago.

“Often it goes well, but just like Roemer, we notice that sometimes things don’t go well with regard to housing, payments and the treatment of migrant workers,” Jorian Kops, director of the Asian Migrants’ Federation, told the newspaper. The collective labor agreement, which has been in effect since January 1, 2022, states that people are allowed to stay in their accommodation for another four weeks after the termination of the contract.

The number of migrant workers in the Netherlands has risen sharply in recent years. They are now at least 750,000 people. The number of temporary employment agencies has also increased sharply in recent decades. In 1998 there were about 4,000 people. Now there are at least 14,000.