Non-western immigrants do face discrimination on the Dutch jobs market, even when factors such as skill levels, language and work experience are filtered out, says the government’s social policy unit SCP in a major report.

And job applicants from a minority background sometimes don’t mention their country of origin or send a photograph with their applications because of they worry potential employers will be put off, the SCP says.
The organisation used surveys, already-published studies and face-to-face interviews to reach its conclusions. Women who wear headscarves are particularly likely to suffer from discrimination, are turned down for functions involving with contact with the public and make up a large proportion of complaints to anti-discrimination bureaus.
People with a Moroccan background are most likely to be refused jobs on the basis of their origins. By contrast, second-generation Antilleans are hardly discriminated against at all, the survey shows.
Once in work, however, the difference between native Dutch and immigrants is less marked. Although people from ethnic minorities feel they have to perform better than their white peers, they have similar career paths and incomes.
The report was drawn up for the social affairs ministry as part of its efforts to reduce discrimination and boost employment levels among the ethnic minorities.