Dutch Caribbean job vacancy hub planned to encourage graduates to return home

THE HAGUE--Caribbean students who leave for higher education in the Netherlands may soon have a clearer path back home. State Secretary Eddie van Marum has announced the creation of a Kingdom-wide vacancy platform intended to link these students and graduates directly to jobs and internships on Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the BES islands.

The initiative, unveiled in his formal reply to the most recent Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO), is meant to curb brain drain and strengthen local labor markets. Van Marum said the system should give young people early insight into career options at home so they can make better informed study choices and maintain a stronger relationship with their islands while abroad.

Language and education

In his broader response, the state secretary addressed a range of issues raised by Dutch and Caribbean parliamentarians. On language policy, he confirmed that the cabinet recognizes the importance of Papiamentu/o in education. Delegations visiting The Hague University of Applied Sciences during IPKO discussed the key role of the mother tongue in learning. Van Marum said the government supports bilingual and multilingual education models, while stressing that students must also have access to languages with extensive academic resources if they want to study abroad and continue learning throughout life.

Vocational training and the labor market

Responding to questions about vocational education, Van Marum highlighted ongoing cooperation between the Ministries of BZK and OCW, the Caribbean countries and the Strategic Education Alliance. Roundtable meetings held earlier this year in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten mapped gaps between training programs and labor market needs.

Those sessions produced practical follow up actions for the countries, including regional collaboration in pharmacy and medical assistant training, shared hospitality programs across islands, and new internship and scholarship schemes aimed at improving student outcomes and readiness for work.

Tackling brain drain

On the long standing concern about Caribbean students settling permanently in the Netherlands, Van Marum presented the vacancy platform as a concrete response. The digital hub is intended to provide clarity and incentives for young professionals to return, by bringing together vacancies, internships and guidance in one place. According to the state secretary, the project is meant to support both labor market planning and the well being of students who often struggle with questions about their future during their studies.

Security and regional tensions

IPKO participants also asked about rising geopolitical tensions near the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, particularly the fraught relations between the United States and Venezuela. Van Marum said all four countries of the Kingdom are paying close attention to developments and acknowledged the concerns felt on the islands.

He noted that the Dutch Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs are providing regular updates to the governments of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. While there is currently no acute threat to any part of the Kingdom, the islands are preparing for various scenarios, including possible shifts in migration flows. The Netherlands, he said, stands ready to support within the framework of the Kingdom Charter.

Parliament, Charter and demographic pressure

Van Marum assured members of Parliament that they will be kept informed as these dossiers evolve, and he offered a technical briefing if requested. He referred to ongoing consultations on the unsolicited advisory report from the Council of State on 70 years of the Kingdom Charter, explaining that the cabinet is working with the three Caribbean Prime Ministers on a joint Kingdom-wide response.

He also addressed questions about population ageing and demographic decline, trends already visible in Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten. These shifts, he warned, will affect healthcare, social security and economic resilience. Through the Landspakket agreements, the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries are working on long term strategies to keep key services affordable and to plan for future economic development.

Platform as a connector

With the planned vacancy platform, Van Marum argues that the Kingdom is taking a practical step to support Caribbean talent and promote sustainable growth. The system is expected to function as a central point where students can find opportunities on their home islands and employers can reach qualified candidates who might otherwise remain in the European Netherlands.

For the state secretary, the project is part of a broader effort to ensure that Caribbean young people are not only educated, but also encouraged and enabled to return, contribute to local societies and help shape the future of their islands.

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