I know it sounds awful (I love people all the same), but please hear me out for a minute...
When I say "undesirable immigrants" what's the first thing that comes to mind?
If you think about it on a global scale there are quite a few minority groups around the world that are treated as "undesirable" or "unwanted" for whatever reason. In some countries it might be "Muslims", to some it's "Mexicans", to others it it might be "Jews", to others it's "Blacks" or "infidels" or "Moroccans" or "Rohingyas" or "Roma gypsies" or "Palestinians" or "unskilled laborers" or...or...whatever garden variety human with an accent on "different" and "poor" that happens to annoy the heck out of nativist bigots.
To Geert Wilders, as everyone knows by now, it's "Muslims, Moroccans and (poor) immigrants". You might have heard about his latest maneuver in his conquest against these undesirable immigrants. You see, the man thinks big - I mean HUGE, now that he got a big chunk of the votes in the last national election. So now he's working on expanding his territory and wants to rile up haters in other countries, where anger against Muslims and immigrants already festers and always ready to wreak havoc at the drop of a hat.
So why is this all happening you think?
Money? Power? Heroics? The bad economy? Politics?
Please don't me give that "freedom of speech" nonsense, because I'm not buying it.
So why really? Why is such a terribly bigoted politician, who says some of the craziest things and makes a fool out of Dutch parliament daily, actually allowed to have free reign to incite hatred against people in a democracy that's supposedly world famous for its tolerance?
Is it maybe because he's carrying out the will of the people who feel threatened by these "undesirables" or is he simply trying to enforce the laws of the land by pursuing the Dutch government's very own agenda to get rid of unskilled laborers, while applying pressure with tremendous help from the Dutch press and leveraging hate groups in the US and Europe?
Well, in case you didn't know, Holland actually pays certain immigrants to leave the country as long as they agree to be stripped of their rights to return, as set forth in the Dutch Remigration Act.
I remember vaguely hearing about this a while back, but I didn't know the exact details till I started looking into it after my friend Xoussef asked me if it's true that Holland pays immigrants a monthly salary if they agree to leave the country - he told me he had read about this in a Moroccan newspaper and questioned the veracity of the article because it just sounded too weird.
Here it is spelled out in plain English (and several other languages) by the Dutch authorities:What is the Remigration Act?
If you are going to leave the Netherlands to move to another country, you may be able to get a one-off relocation grant and a monthly benefit to help cover your living expenses in your new country of residence. This is provided for under the Remigration Act.
Two types of benefits are paid under the Remigration Act:
- a remigration grant
- a remigration benefit
Remigration grant
The remigration grant is a one-off payment towards moving expenses. It is made up of various components. Which components you are entitled to depends on your personal situation.
You can get a contribution towards the cost of:
- the journey to the country where you are going to live;
- the transportation of your luggage;
- settling in your new country of residence;
- storage of your property in your new country;
- the transportation of aids for a disabled person;
- the transportation of business inventory and equipment.
These contributions are fixed amounts.
remigration benefit
The remigration benefit is a monthly payment to help cover your living expenses. It is only payable if you are 45 or over. If you are no longer covered under the Dutch health insurance system after you have moved abroad, you will also get a contribution towards health insurance.
If you are awarded a remigration benefit, you will also get a remigration grant. The grant will not include a contribution towards resettlement expenses because this will already be included in the remigration benefit.
When are you eligible for these payments?
You can get these payments if you leave the Netherlands to return to:
- the country where you were born, or
- the country of which you are, or were, a national, or
- the country where one of your parents was born or of which he or she is, or was, a national.
You can also get financial help if you are a refugee or if you have been granted asylum in the Netherlands, and you are moving to another country.
The fact that the Dutch Remigration Act singles out only immigrants from specific countries who can apply for this deal has "discrimination" written all over it if you ask me. Smart move by the Dutch government though in terms of saving money in the long run. They encourage these immigrants to leave the country, sending them off into early retirement at age 45 along with the rest of their families, with a minimum wage that's tailored to the cost of living in their country of origin, instead of having to pay them significantly higher pension benefits when they're actually due for retirement in Holland. And as we all know, governments tend to change rules and laws whenever they see fit.
Are these wages guaranteed for life?:
The amount of your remigration grant or remigration benefit
The amount of your remigration grant or remigration benefit depends on:
- the country where you are going to live;
- the number of people moving with you;
- whether you live on your own or with family members;
- the ages of the people who live with you.
For more information about the amount you will receive, you can contact us.