The Netherlands has been a country of immigration and emigration for centuries — from Huguenot refugees in the 17th century to guest workers from Morocco and Turkey in the 1960s–70s, to recent arrivals from across the EU and the world. Today the Netherlands is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Europe, with Amsterdam particularly cosmopolitan — over 180 nationalities live in the city. This diversity is woven into Dutch language, food, culture, and daily life.
Immigration vocabulary: immigratie (immigration), de vluchteling (refugee), de asielzoeker (asylum seeker), de vergunninghouder (permit holder — someone with a residence permit granted after asylum), inburgeren (to integrate — a formal process in the Netherlands involving language tests and civic knowledge), de gemeenschap (community), de diversiteit (diversity), de inclusie (inclusion). These terms appear constantly in Dutch news and political discourse.
The inburgering (civic integration) process is mandatory for most non-EU immigrants. It involves passing the inburgeringsexamen — testing Dutch language skills at A2 level (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij — knowledge of Dutch society) and civic knowledge. Since 2022, the process has been overhauled with stricter requirements. Understanding the inburgering process is important both for immigrants navigating it and for Dutch language learners who may encounter it as context in news, conversation, and policy discussions.