{"id":113123,"date":"2020-04-30T12:19:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T10:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=113123"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:55","slug":"give-international-graduates-more-time-to-find-a-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/04\/30\/give-international-graduates-more-time-to-find-a-job\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Give international graduates more time to find a job\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coronavirus crisis or not, non-EU students need to find a job within a year of graduation. If not, they will be required to return to their country of origin, confirms the Ministry of Justice and Security.<\/p>\n

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International students at the entrance of the Woudestein campus.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmber Leijen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

These are difficult times for jobseekers. The coronavirus crisis has put thousands of jobs at risk, and a recession is inevitable<\/a> according to the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB).<\/p>\n

This has put students from outside the European Union in a pretty pickle. If they want to stay in the Netherlands after graduation, they can apply for a special residence visa: the \u2018zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden\u2019 (\u2018job-seeking year for highly qualified graduates\u2019) permit. This gives them one year of respite to find work. If they strike out, they are unfortunately required to leave.<\/p>\n

Wary<\/h2>

But due to the coronavirus crisis, a lot of companies are currently wary about hiring: they prefer to wait until all the turmoil is behind us. Moreover, some international graduates have already entered their job-seeking year, but have been let go in response to the crisis.<\/p>\n

The administrators and alumni of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences have sounded the alarm about this problem. Couldn\u2019t the Immigration and Naturalisation Service extend the job-seeking term from 1 to 2 years, asks<\/a>\u00a0the university board in a letter<\/a>\u00a0to the ministers of Justice, Education and Social Affairs.<\/p>\n

Petition<\/h2>

Talented non-EU students presently aren\u2019t given a \u2018fair chance\u2019 to find a job in the Netherlands, in the view of the board. \u201cIt is important that we hold on to this group, since they are precisely the people who can make a significant contribution to the recovery and reinforcement of the Dutch economy.\u201d Alumni of the private university of applied sciences have set up a petition<\/a>, which has already gained nearly 700 signatures.<\/p>\n

No goodwill scheme<\/h2>

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice and Security confirms that at present there is no goodwill scheme for this group of graduates. \u201cThe \u2018zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden\u2019 residence visa is issued for one year. Based on current regulations it cannot yet be extended.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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