Someone from abroad moving to Nijmegen, needs to go through all kinds of ticket offices to get the required paperwork and regulations. The municipality of Nijmegen wants that to change. Starting this summer, international employees and students can go to Huize Heyendael for extra help.

International students and people from abroad who come to work in Nijmegen will soon receive extra help from the municipality of Nijmegen. Starting this summer, a centre will be set up in Huize Heyendael, the little castle near the Radboudumc and Radboud University, where they can go for information and to make arrangements for their stay in the Netherlands.

For example, they can register with the municipality of Nijmegen there, learn how to arrange their health insurance and receive information about opening bank accounts.

‘Too many offices’

‘At the moment, people who come to Nijmegen temporarily have to go through too many different ticket offices to settle in. They have to go to the town hall to register, and somewhere else to arrange housing. This can be done more easily. Soon they will be able to go to one central point,’ says Monique Esselbrugge (D66), the alderman responsible for the whole operation.

The municipality is working on this together with Radboud University, the HAN University of Applied Sciences, the province of Gelderland, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and The Economic Board. The intention is for more and more services to settle in the Lifeport Welcome Center, as the centre is called. In the future, international employees and students may also be able to go there for tax advice, insurance, and training.

Asylum seekers

According to the municipality, the goal is to remain an attractive place for companies looking for highly educated, international staff. ‘A central service point can help to retain knowledge workers’, according to the municipality.

As of January, the IND will also offer help there to anyone who wants to come and live in the Netherlands for a longer period of time. Asylum seekers will also be able to go there.

This article by Mitchel Suijkerbuijk previously appeared in De Gelderlander.