Summary – The Netherlands - the land of paperwork

This qualitative research shows how Syrian permit holders shape their participation in society during the first years of their stay in the Netherlands. What are their experiences of learning the Dutch language and the current civic integration system? How do they get information about opportunities for participation and how do they interact with the government bodies they encounter in their search for employment or joining the education system? The research points out various issues in Dutch participation policy and makes recommendations for improving its responsiveness in a number of areas.
The research was carried out at the request of the Social and Cultural Planning Office by Ilse van Liempt (UU) and Richard Staring (EUR).