The Netherlands has always been a destination for immigrants. In the 17th century, religious and political refugees arrived. In the 1950s-70s, gastarbeiders (guest workers) came from Turkey and Morocco to fill labour shortages. After decolonisation, people from Suriname, the Dutch Antilles, and Indonesia (especially Moluccan communities) settled in the Netherlands. Today, Amsterdam alone is home to over 180 nationalities.
Integration vocabulary: de inburgering (civic integration), het inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam — required for many immigrants to obtain a permanent residence permit), de verblijfsvergunning (residence permit), de nationaliteit (nationality), de staatsburgerschap (citizenship), de naturalisatie (naturalisation), het taalcertificaat (language certificate), NT2 (Nederlands als Tweede Taal — Dutch as a Second Language, the formal programme). The inburgering system requires knowledge of Dutch language and society.
Cultural identity discussions: allochtoon (person of non-Dutch origin — now considered outdated/sensitive, being replaced by migrant or with a background from X), autochtoon (person of Dutch origin — also increasingly questioned), de meertalige samenleving (multilingual society), de multiculturele samenleving (multicultural society), de polarisatie (polarisation). Dutch society continues to debate the terms and policies of integration. For learners, understanding these terms helps follow Dutch news and social discussions meaningfully.