Forthcoming policy developments

Internship and employment discrimination

10% of the students looking for an internship experience discrimination, according to research executed by The Netherlands Institute for Social Research in 2020. For young people with a (non-western) migration background it takes more effort to find an internship and their job applications are rejected more often compared to students without a migration background. Because internship discrimination may play a role, in recent years the Ministries of Social Affairs and Employment and Education, Culture and Science have undertaken a variety of actions against internship discrimination.These are, among other things, research to effective interventions against internship discrimination, an investigation of the differences in chances on the labour market for higher education students with and without a migration background, the implementation of a hotline and a reporting app, a campaign and training for companies, schools and secondary vocational students in the LOB/Equal Opportunities (LOB/Gelijke Kansen) project.

In 2023 a Toolbox to tackle internship discrimination (Toolbox Aanpak Stagediscriminatie) has been developed. The toolbox focusses on tackling internship discrimination in secondary vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs; mbo). The mbo internship pact 2023-2027 (Stagepact mbo 2023-2027) has been signed by many partners in and around secondary vocational education (mbo). This shows commitment to tackle internship discrimination by making agreements in which students receive an internship or apprenticeship with excellent guidance and conditions, including appropriate compensation for the internship.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment initiated the Labour Market Discrimination Action  (Actieplan Arbeidsmarkt discriminatie 2022-2025). The programme focusses on equal opportunities on the labour market. Targetgroups are, among others, people with labour limiations, people with a non-western migration background, including young people.

Ongoing debates

Equal opportunities in education

An important ongoing debate is about equal opportunities in education. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science initiated the programme Equal Opportunities in Education (Gelijke Kansen in het Onderwijs).The ministry has been active throughout the Netherlands since 2016 with the Equal Opportunities Alliance (Gelijke Kansen Alliantie; GKA). 

There is also ongoing debate about the socalled Advancement test (Doorstroomtoets).The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science wants to stimulate that students with fewer oppportunities are treated equally. The background of a student must not influence the choice for a school carreer negatively at the cross over from primary into secondary education. The new Advancement test was launched at the end of the schoolyear (2023-2024). It gives students more equal opportunities at the cross over from primary to secondary school. In the Netherlands students cross over at the age of 12 years.