The number of former Dutch students having problems paying the monthly repayment on their student loans is approaching 100 thousand, education agency DUO confirmed to NU.nl. Their income is too low for a mandatory monthly installment to be imposed on them, according to the news site.
In 2009 around 30 thousand former students could not afford to pay the monthly installment on their study loans. In 2015 that increased to around 90 thousand and last year the number was close to 100 thousand. Final figures are not available yet.
The Dutch economy and government finances are both in a much better state than expected a few months ago, according to Statistics Netherlands' December estimate. The Rutte II cabinet is expected to end its term without a deficit and the economy is reaching the level it was before the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008, ANP reports..
The Statistics Netherlands accountants expect economic growth of 2.1 percent in 2017. That is the same level as this year, following a 2 percent growth last year. Three months ago 1.7 percent was expected for 2016 and 2017.
In the third quarter unemployment was down in all provinces in the Netherlands, compared to the same quarter three years ago, Statistics Netherlands announced on Friday. On the same day Amsterdam announced that municipal program Participate Work found work for 3 thousand long-term unemployed people so far this year.
There was a sharp drop in unemployment among 25- to 30-year-olds over the past two years, according to figures Statistics Netherlands released on Wednesday. In this age group unemployment fell from 7.3 percent in the second quarter of 2014 to 5 percent in the last quarter of 2015. Though the unemployment rate is still highest among 25- to 45-year-olds.
Amsterdam is most likely to take over from London as the financial capital of Europe in the wake of the Brexit, according to a ranking compiled by the New York Times. According to the newspaper, the Dutch capital's only flaw is the Netherlands' strict rules around bonuses.