THE HAGUE/KRALENDIJK – The Dutch National Ombudsman is calling on the Dutch government to give working undocumented migrants on Bonaire the opportunity to legalize their residency status. According to the Ombudsman, people who are already living on the island and performing work for which insufficient local labor is available should be able to obtain a residence permit.
The call is included in the National Ombudsman’s 2025 annual report. The report concludes that current policy focuses too heavily on combating illegal residency and pays too little attention to the humane treatment of people without a residence permit. The Ombudsman also notes the absence of a clear vision regarding this group.
The recommendations stem from an exploratory investigation into the position of undocumented migrants on Bonaire. The investigation reveals that many are victims of labor exploitation, excessive housing costs, and limited access to medical care. The National Ombudsman points out that similar concerns have previously been raised by the Ombudsman of Curaçao and by Amnesty International.
The Ombudsman therefore advises the ministries involved not only to improve enforcement, but also to invest in the protection of this vulnerable group. In his view, this should include a scheme that offers people who have been living on Bonaire for an extended period of time and are contributing to the economy the opportunity to regularize their residency status.
With these recommendations, the National Ombudsman is explicitly advocating an approach in which not only compliance with immigration regulations takes center stage, but also the protection of fundamental rights and human dignity.
