ABSTRACT
The Netherlands have always been a country of immigrants. There have been times, during the 16th century, for example, when important cities such as Amsterdam and Leiden consisted largely of immigrants. Not only labour immigrants, but also many refugees came to The Netherlands. Most of them had both religious and political reasons. After 1800, the total number of immigrants decreased to 1.9 per cent of the population in 1880 with a little increase in the 1930s, and then a staggering increase from 1960 up to now. It is important to mention that it has not always been the famous Dutch tolerance which caused this immigration. Economic benefit and also indifference were often reasons for acceptance.
