THE HAGUE, 21/12/06 - Turks in the Netherlands often come from backward areas, whereas in Germany, they are more likely to come from towns. The Dutch Turks are more often unemployed and more poorly educated, according to a comparative survey by the Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) and Central Planning Bureau (CPB) released yesterday.

In the Netherlands, 43 percent of Turks aged between 17 and 65 have a job, compared with 70 percent of their indigenous counterparts. In Germany, the ratio is 47 to 68 percent. In both countries, fewer employees of Turkish origin have a permanent job, but here, too, they lag behind more in the Netherlands. More Turks in the Netherlands do have a somewhat better job than in Germany.

As an explanation for the more unfavourable position of Turks on the Dutch labour market, the researchers note that Turks in the Netherlands are on average more poorly educated and have been in the country for a shorter time than those in Germany. Additionally, they are more likely to come from rural areas, where those in Germany more often come from towns. "Due to their different composition, the Turkish group in Germany is better equipped to find a job."

In both countries, immigration from Turkey got underway in the 1960s. Germany operated more selectively than the Netherlands, primarily acquiring qualified labour. Germany also imposed stricter conditions on family reunification than the Netherlands. This meant more 'marriage immigrants' entered the Netherlands later than in Germany. This partly explains why Turks in Germany are more likely to have lived there longer than their compatriots in the Netherlands.

Additionally, when the economy turned down at the beginning of the 1980s, Germany encouraged returning to Turkey. In the Netherlands, many immigrants were put on welfare and, especially, job disability benefit (WAO). The research is based on data from 2002.