Amsterdam’s international community in numbers 

Internationals in Amsterdam

The recently published Decisio report 2022, an update on migration statistics for the Amsterdam Area, shows that the region remains an attractive place to live and work for internationals. The most recent Migration Monitor report (2020) found that 30% of all residents in the Amsterdam Area were born abroad, and more than half of this group have been resident for over 10 years. The largest group in the adult international community is highly skilled migrants, followed by labour migrants, income-dependent partners, refugees and students.  

78,555 highly skilled migrants live in the Amsterdam Area, while 93,000 work in the area. The largest number of highly skilled migrants comes from EU countries, e.g. Germany (7%), France (6 %), Italy (6%), Poland (5%) and Spain (5%), followed by Great Britain and India (each 9%). Migrants from the USA (4%), Turkey (3%), China (2%), Morocco (2%) and South Africa (2%) further add to the diversity of the labour market.  

Highly skilled migrants and their families

Highly skilled migrants are primarily young professionals between the ages of 25 and 45. The majority work in IT, business services and financial services, with 45% of highly skilled migrants who arrived in 2014 staying economically active in the region for five years or longer.  

Amsterdam is home to 64% of the highly skilled migrants living in the AMA, followed by Amstelveen, Haarlem and Almere. More than half live in rented accommodation, with 29% owning their own home.  

Most highly skilled migrants come with their partners. Of the 304,400 internationals living in the AMA, 47,725 are income-dependent on their partners. They are often skilled in their own right, signalling a huge pool of untapped potential for the labour market. Research shows that internationals with children are increasingly choosing the Dutch schooling system over international schools, with 95% choosing the Dutch system.  

International talent for innovation and impact entrepreneurship

The inflow of international talent is a significant contributor to the local economy, promoting foreign investment, job creation and innovation. There are over 3,900 international companies in the Amsterdam Area and more than 3,600 startups and scale-ups. International businesses are responsible for 32% of all private-sector jobs in the AMA, creating approximately 250,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect jobs. 

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Serving international newcomers

IN Amsterdam offers a one-stop shop service to companies recruiting international talent and to international newcomers. As well as simplifying immigration processes, we help newcomers settle into the Amsterdam Area. We take care of official procedures and also offer resources to ease the settling-in process.    

Our monthly newsletter offers important updates and information for internationals as well as insider-tips about life in the Amsterdam Area. We also have a bi-monthly corporate newsletter focusing on news and updates for international companies, employers and recruiters.