Netherlands faces acute shortage of shelter places for refugees
The Netherlands is facing an acute shortage of hundreds of places to shelter asylum seekers, and the largest reception centre in Ter Apel is at risk of a new crisis, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) said.
Yulduz Salimov2 min read
The Netherlands does not have enough places to shelter asylum seekers, and the largest refugee reception centre in Ter Apel, in the north of the country, is facing the risk of a new crisis. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) said this on Wednesday, 7 October 2026.
"There is an acute need for emergency shelter for asylum seekers and for temporary, flexible housing for status holders in municipalities," the agency said in a statement.
Overcrowded Ter Apel
Without additional assistance, the number of people waiting in Ter Apel without accommodation or any services is growing rapidly. It is becoming increasingly difficult for the reception centre to accommodate even the most vulnerable asylum seekers — children, women and people with medical conditions.
Additional emergency shelter places provided by the Red Cross for asylum seekers waiting for a place have already been filled.
"There is currently an acute shortage of hundreds of shelter places, and by the winter months this deficit will only grow," the agency said in a statement.
Causes of the shortage
According to COA, the problem is not linked to an increase in the number of people arriving in the country, but to the fact that people wait too long in temporary reception centres. Among the causes cited are lengthy procedures at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and in the courts, as well as a shortage of housing in municipalities for those who have received residence permits.
According to authorities, reception centres for refugees have been operating at more than 100% capacity for months. The problem could become especially acute on the eve of winter: additional emergency shelter places and the preservation of existing temporary facilities are already needed.
At the end of May, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) announced that it could no longer accept new people at the largest refugee reception centre in the Netherlands, in the city of Ter Apel in Groningen province, because of its overcrowding.
Source: ria.ru
