Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

Extending the naturalisation period from 5 years to 10 years would harm both integration and the Dutch economy. A 5-year path encourages newcomers to quickly learn Dutch, build community ties, and contribute to society. Extending this to 10 years removes that urgency, delaying integration rather than strengthening it.

The Netherlands is already facing declining birth rates and an aging population, which will leave fewer young workers to support more retirees. Highly skilled professionals help fill this gap, and many have chosen the Netherlands because of its clear 5-year naturalisation route. Extending this to 10 years would be unfair, discourage integration, and risk driving talent to other countries such as Germany that are moving in the opposite direction by making naturalisation easier.

This change would not strengthen Dutch society. Instead, it would slow integration, create frustration, and reduce the Netherlands’ ability to compete for global talent at a critical time. If such a measure were ever to take effect, it should under no circumstances apply to people who are already living and contributing in the Netherlands under the existing rules.