Angolans in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
There is a small population of Angolans in the Netherlands, largely consisting of refugees from the Angolan Civil War
.
, the former colonial power in their home country
. However, they found it difficult to obtain work there, and also suffered from discrimination. Some thus travelled to other countries, including the Netherlands.
The major draw for Angolan migration to the Netherlands was the relatively generous asylum policy. In the first half of 2001 alone, 1,800 Angolans applied for asylum in the Netherlands, making up nearly half of the total number of Angolan asylum-seekers in the western world. In total, from 1998-2002, more than 10,000 Angolans applied for asylum in the Netherlands. As many as 4,500 of those consisted of unaccompanied minors
. Thousands had their claims for asylum rejected and were thus ineligible for residence permits, but had been permitted to delay their departure due to the lack of safety in their home country. In 1999, State Secretary
for Justice Job Cohen
pushed to have the delay of departure scheme ended; though in his judgment the situation in Angola as a whole was still not safe, Luanda was stable enough to enable Angolans to return.
Before 2002, there was little return migration from the Netherlands to Angola; only ten such individuals were known to the International Organization for Migration. However, in 2003, the number of returnees began to increase sharply. Under the Return and Emigration of Aliens from the Netherlands programme, rejected asylum seekers are eligible for a variety of support including an airline ticket to the airport nearest their return destination, reimbursement of fees paid to acquire travel documents, and a resettlement payment to assist with the initial period after relocation. Unaccompanied minors returning to Angola voluntarily also receive assistance in locating their family, and may also be provided with free temporary accommodation at a reception centre if their family cannot be located or cannot receive them.
There is also some illegal immigration
from Angola to the Netherlands. Irregular migrants do not typically make use of people smugglers to enter the Netherlands; they instead get help from their social networks. Such practises have prevented the emergence of large-scale smuggling organisations in Angola.
For a total of 9,015 persons (5,041 men, 3,974 women). This represented roughly 3.5 times the 1996 total of 2,594 persons. Their total population peaked in 2004 at 12,281 persons and has been in decline since then.
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
.
Migration history
The Netherlands has no traditional historical links with Angola. Early Angolan migrants in Europe typically settled in PortugalAngolans in Portugal
Angolans in Portugal form the country's second-largest group of African migrants, after Cape Verdeans. , official statistics showed 28,854 legal Angolan residents in Portugal...
, the former colonial power in their home country
Colonial history of Angola
During the colonial history of Angola, the Portuguese sought to reassert their control over Angola after the Dutch occupation of the 1640s. Angola was a part of Portuguese West Africa from the annexation of several territories in the region as a colony in 1655 until its designation as an overseas...
. However, they found it difficult to obtain work there, and also suffered from discrimination. Some thus travelled to other countries, including the Netherlands.
The major draw for Angolan migration to the Netherlands was the relatively generous asylum policy. In the first half of 2001 alone, 1,800 Angolans applied for asylum in the Netherlands, making up nearly half of the total number of Angolan asylum-seekers in the western world. In total, from 1998-2002, more than 10,000 Angolans applied for asylum in the Netherlands. As many as 4,500 of those consisted of unaccompanied minors
Unaccompanied minor
An unaccompanied minor is a child without the presence of a legal guardian. This term is used in immigration law and in airline policies. The specific definition varies from country to country and from airline to airline.-Immigration Law:...
. Thousands had their claims for asylum rejected and were thus ineligible for residence permits, but had been permitted to delay their departure due to the lack of safety in their home country. In 1999, State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for Justice Job Cohen
Job Cohen
Marius Job Cohen is a Dutch social democratic politician and former legal scholar of Jewish background. Since 2010 he has been the leader of the Labour Party and since June 17, 2010 he has been a member of the House of Representatives, where he also is the Parliamentary group leader of the Labour...
pushed to have the delay of departure scheme ended; though in his judgment the situation in Angola as a whole was still not safe, Luanda was stable enough to enable Angolans to return.
Before 2002, there was little return migration from the Netherlands to Angola; only ten such individuals were known to the International Organization for Migration. However, in 2003, the number of returnees began to increase sharply. Under the Return and Emigration of Aliens from the Netherlands programme, rejected asylum seekers are eligible for a variety of support including an airline ticket to the airport nearest their return destination, reimbursement of fees paid to acquire travel documents, and a resettlement payment to assist with the initial period after relocation. Unaccompanied minors returning to Angola voluntarily also receive assistance in locating their family, and may also be provided with free temporary accommodation at a reception centre if their family cannot be located or cannot receive them.
There is also some illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
from Angola to the Netherlands. Irregular migrants do not typically make use of people smugglers to enter the Netherlands; they instead get help from their social networks. Such practises have prevented the emergence of large-scale smuggling organisations in Angola.
Demographic characteristics
, statistics of the Dutch Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek with regards to people of Angolan origin showed:- 6,286 persons of first-generation background (3,705 men, 2,581 women)
- 2,729 persons of second-generation background (1,336 men, 1,393 women), of which:
- 815 persons with one parent born in the Netherlands (401 men, 414 women)
- 1,914 persons with both parents born outside the Netherlands (935 men, 979 women)
For a total of 9,015 persons (5,041 men, 3,974 women). This represented roughly 3.5 times the 1996 total of 2,594 persons. Their total population peaked in 2004 at 12,281 persons and has been in decline since then.
Organisations
, Angolans had established five of their own organisations in the Netherlands, as well as three jointly with Congolese migrants. The latter are unusual in Dutch society, as the two groups share neither a common language (other than Dutch) nor a common country of origin. The organisations generally aim to bring Angolans together and promote their integration into Dutch society, empower Angolan women, provide sex education, and organise social activities and sports competitions. The organisations are generally male-dominated, with as many as 80% of the members being men.External links
- Uniao Angolana, an Angolan community organisation in the Netherlands