Labour Shortages Drive Netherlands to Hire More Foreign Accountants
Netherlands Turns to Foreign Accountants Amid Labour Shortages, but Concerns Persist
Amid a growing shortage of skilled professionals, accountancy firms in the Netherlands are increasingly recruiting accountants from abroad, particularly from Asia and Africa, with South Africa and Namibia cited as key sourcing countries. According to BNR, local recruitment efforts often fall short, with job postings going unanswered for months.
Quality Concerns Over Outsourced Accounting Services
While the influx of foreign professionals has helped alleviate staffing gaps, there are concerns about service quality. FD reports that PwC Netherlands, one of the country’s largest accounting firms, employs approximately 300 international accountants, with many hailing from India, Pakistan, Cyprus, South Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe. In 2022 alone, 130 PwC employees were working remotely from abroad.
However, not everyone views this solution as sustainable. Professor Marcel Pheijffer, a leading academic in accountancy, cautioned that foreign recruitment does not automatically ensure high-quality work, especially when cultural and regulatory differences are at play.
AI: A New Challenge for Accountants
Beyond the international workforce, another major factor reshaping the accounting sector is artificial intelligence (AI). PwC anticipates that AI will significantly reduce the need for foreign employees in the coming years, as automated systems take over more routine tasks. This raises further questions about the future of human roles, both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Significant Increase in Work Permits for Foreigners and Asylum Seekers
Reflecting the growing demand for foreign labour, data from the UWV (Dutch state jobs agency) shows that the Netherlands issued 20,172 work permits to non-EU nationals in 2024—a 12% increase over the previous year. This includes labour migrants and international students.
Strikingly, the number of work permits granted to asylum seekers surged to 9,281 in 2024, up from just a fraction of that figure in 2023. This change follows the abolishment of the 24-week annual work limit for asylum seekers, allowing them broader participation in the Dutch labour market.
As the Netherlands navigates an evolving workforce shaped by migration, outsourcing, and technology, the debate continues over how to balance economic necessity with long-term sustainability and service quality.
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