One WhatsApp number to pass on: how to refer newcomers to work

Municipalities, libraries and partner organizations can refer any newcomer looking for work to the Taaly Jobs assistant: one WhatsApp number, +31 6 53988594, no app or account needed. The assistant answers questions about working in the Netherlands and builds a work profile; then a member of the Taaly team takes over.

The gap between language and work

Case managers know the pattern. A statushouder finishes language lessons, takes part in activities and then wants to work. Then the questions come: which work fits, which diplomas count, can I work with my permit. A statushouder is someone with an asylum residence permit; employers do not need a permit to hire them, according to the Dutch government.

A thirty-minute meeting with a case manager only fits part of those questions. The Jobs assistant picks up the first ones when the newcomer has them, in their own language.

What the assistant does and does not do

The assistant covers the first two phases of the job journey: orientation and screening. In practice:

• it answers questions about occupations, diplomas and first steps, with links to official organizations;
• it builds a work profile with the newcomer: experience, education, Dutch level, travel distance, hours and wishes, with or without a CV;
• it asks whether someone has a BSN and a residence permit that allows work, but never the BSN number itself.

What it does not do: place someone in a job, promise a job or send data to an employer. That last step only happens with consent, through a member of the Taaly team who reads the profile and gets in touch about vacancies that fit.

How to pass on the number

There is nothing to set up. You pass on the number and the newcomer sends "Hallo". A few ways that work:

• mention it in a meeting with the case manager or job coach;
• put it on a flyer or card in the language center or library;
• share it in a WhatsApp group of a language café or newcomer group;
• refer to taaly.ai/en/jobs-assistent, where everything is in Dutch, English and Arabic.

The assistant speaks Dutch, English, Arabic, Ukrainian, Turkish, Tigrinya, Farsi, Dari, Somali, French, Spanish and more. The newcomer does not need the Taaly app.

The same goes for taalcoaches and volunteers. If you notice in a conversation that someone wants work but does not know where to start, pass on the number. The newcomer does not need a certain level of Dutch first; the assistant talks in their own language, and the Taaly team takes over afterwards.

Privacy and the GDPR

The assistant asks for consent before saving anything. It is not a WhatsApp or Meta AI: it runs on Taaly's own infrastructure in the EU, in line with the GDPR. Answers and CVs are deleted automatically 360 days after the last message.

Whether a municipality can see which residents used the assistant depends on the agreement between Taaly and the municipality. Taaly Jobs is not part of the municipal license for now.

How it fits in Taaly

Taaly is the digital integration assistant for newcomers: language, participation and work in one approach. In the app, newcomers practice Dutch with the AI language coach and volunteer taalcoaches, find activities through Taaly Meedoen, and municipalities register participation hours. With Taaly Jobs, newcomers can also browse vacancies in the app. The Jobs assistant on WhatsApp is the way in for those who do not have the app yet.

Want to know what Taaly can do for your municipality? See Taaly for municipalities.

Frequently asked questions

Does a municipality need to set anything up for the Jobs assistant?

No. You pass on the WhatsApp number +31 6 53988594 and the newcomer sends a message.

Is the Jobs assistant part of the municipal license?

No, Taaly Jobs is not part of the license for now. Get in touch if you want to know what is possible for your municipality.

Can the municipality see who used the assistant?

That depends on the agreement between Taaly and the municipality, and on the features Taaly launches for municipalities.