EU-Netherlands Leading Trend To More Stringent Immigration Rules
If you don't speak Dutch, and the thought of nude beaches or homosexual marriage makes you uncomfortable, then the Netherlands is not for you. That's the message from Dutch immigration authorities, who have just instituted some of Europe's most stringent requirements for would-be immigrants. Several other European states are following suit, as European politicians react to growing anti-immigration sentiment among voters.Dutch Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk says there are over 600,000 people in her country who don't speak proper Dutch and are mostly unemployed. Verdonk argues that the Netherlands can no longer afford to welcome immigrants who will not integrate into mainstream society, which is why she has advocated a new restrictive visa system.
Under the new policy, which went into effect last month, would-be immigrants seeking a residency visa will have to pass a "civic-integration examination" before they arrive in the Netherlands. Applicants will have to pass a Dutch-language test administered at the Dutch Embassy in their country of origin.
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