‘Include the IND in drawing up migration plans’

The work of the IND has become more complex in the past few years. That is why the Service itself is already making the work simpler where possible and working more efficiently. The IND writes this in its annual State of Performance*.

Migration plans have substantial consequences

‘The consequences of the outline agreement of the government-forming parties will be substantial for the IND. Certainly in connection with the changes following from the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum,’ says Director-General of the IND Rhodia Maas. ‘It is essential for the IND to be involved in working out the migration plans in the outline agreement. Our work has already become much more complex in the past few years and that is why our performance would benefit from clear policy. We would like to enter into discussion about this with the new government member so that we, as implementing organisation, can participate from our point of view in the talks about translating the plan into legislation, policy and practice.’

Stable financing still necessary

The IND has already been stating for a longer time that the organisation needs future-proof, stable financing in order to make multi-year plans. The new outline agreement has not made a difference in this. Structural investment in our performance is still necessary to enable the further development of future information provision and technology.  

The IND itself is working on improvements 

Where the IND itself has influence on improvements, these have already been started. For instance the IND is working more and more efficiently, and where possible the Service has reduced the complexity of the work, for example by making work instructions and application forms shorter and clearer. 

Rhodia Maas says: ‘In order to reach a careful decision we are accustomed to requesting a lot of information. An example is the regular application process for someone who wants to bring a partner or child to the Netherlands. The applicant must fill in a 77-page form and state him/herself which permit he/she is applying for. That is complex for the applicant and a lot of work for the IND. We are now shortening the form which will enable us to ask more specifically for information. And we are going to indicate ourselves in an application which permit is most appropriate. This sounds logical and simple, but with more than 40 thousand applications annually, the impact is substantial.’ 

Increasing productivity

Notwithstanding the complex issues facing us, the IND has already been doing more work for a longer time than that for which the organisation is equipped. ‘We will still have to do that in the next few years, because everyone benefits from a more efficient processing of the applications. Moreover we want to give applicants clarity more quickly’, according to Rhodia Maas. ‘Smarter working and simplification of the work should increase the productivity of the IND. That is necessary because the number of staff members of the IND  has already grown considerably in the past few years, and it cannot infinitely continue to grow.’ Based on the current situation, from 2028 the IND expects to come a lot closer to its aim to be able to decide on each application within the statutory decision period. 
 
Read more in the State of Performance*. 
 

*(Only in Dutch)