Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers

What Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers does

COA (Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers) is an independent administrative body (zbo) established in 1994 under the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers Act. It is the sole statutory organization responsible for the reception, support and guidance of asylum seekers in the Netherlands, operating under the political responsibility of the Minister of Migration within the Ministry of Justice and Security. The agency delivers services from a registered headquarters at Rijnstraat 8, Den Haag, and is led by a three-person management board (Milo Schoenmaker as Chair, Joeri Kapteijns as Vice Chair, and Peter Bos).

The agency's service platform is a nationwide network of 266 reception centre locations organized through four regional offices (Ter Apel, Dronten, Leersum and Budel) covering all Dutch provinces, with a mix of 120 regular centres and 146 temporary facilities. Service offerings span accommodation, meals, daily activities, language education, medical care access via the RMA scheme administered by DSW, psychosocial support, and structured guidance towards either integration in the Netherlands or dignified return. COA operates an internal staff of 1,001-5,000 and works alongside named immigration-chain partners including IND (asylum adjudication), DT&V (return), Stichting Nidos (guardianship for unaccompanied minors), VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (legal aid), GZA (healthcare), KMar (border/identification), DJI/DV&O (transport), GGD/GHOR (public health), IOM (voluntary return) and Dutch municipalities. Digital components include the MyCOA resident portal, the Taakstellingvolgsysteem (TVS) housing-matching platform accessible to municipalities, and the International Knowledge Platform for cross-border professional exchange.

COA's revenue model is single-channel: it is funded entirely by appropriations from the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, with no commercial pricing or external revenue. As a government service organization, its go-to-market is direct service delivery to a defined population of asylum seekers under legal entitlement, with marketing limited to public information, transparency communications, media liaison and stakeholder engagement. Capacity planning is conducted twice-yearly based on a Multi-Annual Production Forecast, and the organization publishes annual reports, year plans, execution reviews and incident records under the Wet open overheid (Woo) regime. Its data protection practices are aligned with the AVG (GDPR), with defined 20-year retention for resident files and 7-year retention for financial documents.

Name

Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers

Legal name

Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers

Website

https://coa.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

COA is the Dutch statutory agency established in 1994 to provide shelter, support and guidance to asylum seekers in the Netherlands, operating 266 reception centres under the Ministry of Justice and Security.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asylum Reception Services

NAICS

Accommodation (721)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)

Keywords

• Asylum reception services
• Refugee shelter services
• Humanitarian support services
• Immigration accommodation services
• Government social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: COA is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security (Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid). The organization receives budget allocations to fulfill its statutory tasks of providing accommodation, support, and guidance to asylum seekers. Revenue comes entirely from government appropriations, not commercial activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

COA operates 266 reception centre locations across the Netherlands providing accommodation, meals, support, and guidance to asylum seekers during their asylum procedure. The organization offers specialized facilities for vulnerable groups including unaccompanied minors, families, and individuals requiring extra supervision, alongside housing matching services for status holders through municipalities and an international knowledge platform for professional exchange.

Product overview

COA (Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers) is the Dutch government organization responsible for the reception, support, and guidance of asylum seekers in the Netherlands since 1994. The organization operates 266 reception centre locations (AZC) across the country, providing shelter, necessary means, and guidance to asylum seekers during their procedure. COA's core offerings include asylum reception centres (with regular, temporary, and specialized facilities for unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups), housing matching services through the Task Monitoring System (TVS), and the International Knowledge Platform for cross-border professional exchange. The MyCOA portal provides residents with online access to information and services. COA works in close collaboration with municipalities, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), and other partners in the immigration chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asielzoekerscentra (AZC) - Asylum Reception Centres COA operates 266 reception centre locations across the Netherlands providing shelter, meals, guidance, and support to asylum seekers during their application process. Includes regular centres, temporary facilities, and specialized locations for unaccompanied minors and families.
• MyCOA Online Portal Online portal for COA residents providing access to information, services, and resources in multiple languages, including complaint procedures and practical guidance about life in reception.
• Task Monitoring System (TVS / Taakstellingvolgsysteem) Digital platform used to match status holders (asylum seekers granted residence permits) to municipalities for housing. Contains client profiles with information on training, education, work experience, and participation programs, accessible to municipalities.
• International Knowledge Platform (IKP) Platform for international knowledge exchange among professionals in asylum reception, facilitating cross-border collaboration, study visits, online exchanges, and events on topics such as sustainability, labour participation, and digital self-reliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• All asylum seekers entitled to reception receive accommodation - 'A bed for everyone who is entitled to one'
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dienst Terugkeer en Vertrek (DT&V)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDT&V handles forced and voluntary return of asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected. COA coordinates with DT&V for residents who must leave the Netherlands, providing transitional support and access to return programs.
• Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIND processes asylum applications and determines whether individuals qualify for international protection. COA provides reception facilities and support during the procedure while IND conducts interviews and makes decisions.
• GezondheidsZorg Asielzoekers (GZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGZA provides healthcare services to asylum seekers at COA locations. Services are delivered via Arts en Zorg and cover general medical care, mental health services, and preventive healthcare.
• Stichting NidoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNidos is the independent guardianship institution for unaccompanied minor foreigners in the Netherlands. COA coordinates with Nidos for the care and protection of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (AMV's), including housing and guidance services.
• VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVWN provides free legal assistance to asylum seekers during their procedure. COA facilitates VWN's access to residents and cooperates on ensuring asylum seekers understand their rights and options.
• Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKMar performs border control and police functions including identification and registration of asylum seekers at the border. COA works with KMar for arrivals and coordinates on security matters at reception centers.
• Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (DJI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDJI provides detention facilities and transport services for foreigners. COA coordinates with DJI's DV&O component for transport and escort services when needed.
• Internationale Organisatie voor Migratie (IOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOM supports voluntary return programs and assists migrants with reintegration. COA cooperates with IOM for residents who choose to voluntarily return to their countries of origin, including logistical support and pre-departure assistance.
• Dutch Municipalities (Gemeenten)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMunicipalities are key partners for housing status holders (asylum seekers who receive residence permits). COA matches status holders to municipalities based on integration opportunities, and municipalities provide permanent housing. Administrative agreements govern each center's establishment.
• GGD en GHORcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal health services that provide public health oversight, outbreak response, and health promotion at COA locations. GHOR coordinates emergency medical assistance and disaster response.
• Regeling Medische zorg Asielzoekers (RMA) via DSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMA is the scheme for medical care reimbursement for asylum seekers, administered through health insurer DSW. COA facilitates access to healthcare and handles reimbursement procedures.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): International organization with global mandate for refugee protection and statelessness. UNHCR partners with COA on resettlement (hervestiging) and voluntary return programs but operates internationally rather than nationally, making it a thematic partner rather than a direct competitor.
• Serco Group: Private outsourcing company that has held large UK Home Office contracts for asylum accommodation and support services (AASC). Serco represents the privatized alternative model to COA's in-house government delivery, relevant for benchmarking operational and cost structures even though Serco operates under contract rather than as a statutory agency.

Direct peers

• UDI (Utlendingsdirektoratet): Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, implementing the Norwegian Immigration Act and managing reception centres for asylum seekers. UDI operates transit centres and ordinary reception centres comparable to COA's differentiated facility types and shares the integrated government-agency model.
• SEM (Staatssekretariat für Migration): Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration, responsible for asylum procedures, reception, and return coordination. Operates federal asylum centres (Bundesasylzentren) and coordinates cantonal reception, with similar statutory authority and operational mandate to COA in the Dutch context.
• Migrationsverket: Sweden's Migration Agency, which handles asylum applications, reception, and accommodation for asylum seekers across Sweden. Operates a similar network of accommodation facilities (Migrationsverket's housing units) and shares COA's integrated mandate combining reception with integration preparation.
• Fedasil: Belgium's Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, responsible for material assistance and accommodation for asylum seekers. Fedasil operates a network of reception centres comparable to COA's AZC network, with similar statutory mandate under Belgian law and equivalent partnerships with immigration authorities.
• OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration): France's office for immigration and integration, operating under the Ministry of the Interior to manage reception facilities, material assistance, and integration programming for asylum seekers. Shares COA's combined mandate of accommodation provisioning and integration preparation.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF): Germany's federal office for migration and refugees, with the statutory mandate to conduct asylum procedures and coordinate reception. BAMF is the closest international analogue to COA in scale and remit, operating initial reception facilities (Erstaufnahmeeinrichtungen) and overseeing decentralized accommodation across German states.
• Asylkoordination Österreich: Austrian coordination body for asylum reception, working alongside the federal BMI and provincial governments to organize accommodation for asylum seekers. Comparable to COA in coordinating nationwide reception infrastructure across decentralized provincial authorities.

Broad incumbents

• EUAA (European Union Agency for Asylum): EU-level agency supporting member states on asylum, with operational support roles under the Common European Asylum System and the new Migration Pact. EUAA provides training, operational support, and information exchange across COA and its peer agencies, sitting one level above COA in the governance hierarchy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/COAnl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers