Migrants are satisfied despite low wages

Fieldwork West-Brabant

The Dutch economy benefits from the arrival of migrant workers from Central and Eastern European EU countries (CEE-citizens). But it also brings problems with it, particularly in the area of housing. In order to respond as a municipality to these needs, more knowledge and information is needed. Fieldwork was carried out in Breda, Moerdijk and Zundert. In 2009 and 2010 a total of 90 CEE-citizens in West Brabant were interviewed. Of these, 70 came from Poland, 15 from Romania and 5 from Bulgaria.

Research CEE-citizens

Most CEE-citizens in West-Brabant live in Zundert. Moerdijk has less CEE-citizens and this group is also less concentrated than in Zundert, in many cases on the grounds of their employer. Compared to Moerdijk and Zundert, where the migrants mainly work in farms, construction and industry, Breda also has highly skilled workers in business services. Most migrant workers are more than satisfied with their living conditions.

Statistics on working

• In Zundert half of the migrants work for an employment agency and a fourth  has a temporary contracts; 1 in 10 CEE-citizens is unemployed.
• In Moerdijk, half has a temporary contract and a quarter works for an employment agency.
• Breda shows a different picture. A fourth is working in temporary employment and half is self-employed or informally at work.
• The majority of migrants appears to earn little, at most 8 euros per hour.
• In Moerdijk and Zundert they earn less than in Breda.
• A large proportion of migrants in Zundert earn even less than the minimum wage. However, employers often provide shelter so there is no need to pay housing costs.

Housing

Most immigrants live together with fellow CEE-citizens and mostly people from their own country of origin. Almost non live with Dutch citizens. In Zundert almost half of the migrants live with 7 or more persons in a relatively large property in a recreation park. In Breda housing is less often shared amongst CEE-citizens than in Moerdijk and Zundert. In cases where housing is shared in Breda this is often with fewer people.

Recreation

Four fifths of the migrants often or very often come in contact with the Dutch. Besides this - to a lesser extent - meetings with Dutch and other migrant workers take place in the neighborhood and the nightlife. Half (Breda) to two thirds (Zundert) of the migrants never or almost never come in contact with Dutch people in their free time. Moerdijk migrants have the least contact with Dutch citizens when it comes to living and leisure activities while they have the most contacts with Dutch people in their workplace.

CEE-citizens are satisfied with their lives

Remarkably, two thirds of the CEE-citizens indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their living conditions. CEE-citizens are “least satisfied” in Zundert. About four fifths of the workers indicate the desire to return to their home country if they no longer can or want to stay in the Netherlands. By far the most important reason to stay in the Netherlands or to return to their home country, is the availability of well-paid work. The immigrants express that they would return to their home country if there is enough work there or if they have earned enough money in the Netherlands.

About research 'Migrant workers from Poland, Bulgaria and Romania in West Brabant’

The publication is part of an overall examination of the situation of CEE-citizens in collaboration with Nicis Institute, 9 Dutch municipalities and Erasmus University Rotterdam, which carries out the research. The report 'Migrant workers from Poland, Bulgaria and Romania in West Brabant’ was presented on February 9 2011 at a meeting of the 3 participating municipalities in the study (Breda, Moerdijk and Zundert).