The number of residents in the Netherlands holding a nationality from another European Union member state has doubled over the past ten years.
As of January 1, 2024, the Netherlands is home to 745,500 people with another EU nationality, up from around 360,000 in 2014, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This data was released ahead of the European Parliament elections taking place this week.
Out of these residents, nearly 649,000 are aged 18 or older and eligible to vote in the European Parliament elections in the Netherlands, provided they have declared that they will not vote in another country. The Netherlands' residents will cast their votes on Thursday, June 6.
Polish nationals constitute the largest group of EU migrants in the Netherlands, accounting for nearly a quarter of this population. Germans represent the second largest group at 11 percent, followed by Bulgarians, Italians, and Romanians. “Compared to ten years ago, more people of all EU nationalities were living in the Netherlands at the beginning of 2024,” CBS noted.
The demographics of EU nationals in the Netherlands show that they are generally younger than Dutch citizens. They are more likely to be between the ages of 20 and 50, with a smaller proportion being over 50 years old.
The primary reasons for EU nationals relocating to the Netherlands include employment opportunities, education, and family reunification. A significant number also tend to leave the country after some time. Among those who moved to the Netherlands in 2011, just over half had left within three years, and almost three-quarters had departed within ten years.
As of January 1, 2024, the average duration of stay for EU nationals residing in the Netherlands was over 7.5 years.