Leiden Internationalization Monitor

October 18, 2023 | Municipality of Leiden

Every year, the municipality publishes the Internationalization Monitor, which presents concrete figures about Leiden's international residents and their living and working behavior. Internationals are all residents of Leiden with a non-Dutch nationality. This group includes migrant workers, knowledge workers, international students and refugees. The municipality of Leiden has an internationalization policy to manage the growing international population of Leiden.

Developments
Leiden has become even more international in the past year. At 13.1%, 1 in 8 residents of Leiden is an international. Since the corona pandemic, there has been an influx of young internationals (18-39 years old). The figures show that a large number (more than eight hundred) Ukrainians came to live in Leiden in 2022. The number of residents with Polish nationality who have settled in Leiden has also increased considerably in recent years. The latest City and Neighborhood Survey shows that 1:5 Leiden residents speak a language other than Dutch at home. Out of the respondents, 10% were internationals. The survey shows that internationals in Leiden would like to do more for the city. For example, 33% of non-Dutch respondents indicate that they want to help organize activities in the neighborhood, but have yet to do so (compared to 14% of Dutch residents).

Nice to know

The two new Leiden international primary schools, International School Leiden and TISA, have been open for a year now.
Leiden has a city link with Nagasaki, Oxford and Toruń. This year we celebrate the 35th anniversary with our Polish sister city Toruń.
The Leiden helpdesk for internationals, the Leiden International Center (formerly Expat Centre), registered a record number of internationals in 2022.

Last month, 774 international students received a Warm Welcome when collecting their BSN. The municipality believes it is important that new Leiden residents find their way, far from home, in a new city and a different language. That is why the municipality of Leiden has created a video series with useful information about (student) life in Leiden. This can be found on YouTube: I Wish I Knew - YouTube

Questions and suggestions are very welcome to (continue to) steer internationalization!