In the 1950's the Dutch government started promoting emigration to make up for the high densely population. A decade after the situation changed completely. There was a shortage for manual hard work such as mining and factory work. Immigration and remigration were in full swing mostly among people from Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Turkey and Marocco.The foreign population in the Netherlands continued to increase mainly because of family reunifications, marriages and afterwards the EU free movement policy.

The Netherlands is at the top list of EU countries, allowing permits for asylum seekers and refugees. Lately the situation took a different direction having stricter admission demands and granting accession permits only when it is of national Dutch interest, if someone requires safety or protection and if someone is entitled to live in the country under an international agreement.