Profiling Immigrants in Leiden, 1855-1925

Abstract

This article examines the local implementation of immigration regulation in Leiden between 1855 and 1925, with special attention to gender differences in registration, labour market position, and expulsion practices. While historical research has largely focused on national migration policy, this study shows that local administrative routines and labour demand strongly shaped the experiences of migrants. Women were significantly underregistered in the decades after the 1849 Alien Law, as authorities prioritised men as household heads. After 1918, registration procedures became more uniform, yet female migrants—particularly unmarried German domestic servants—remained closely monitored. Their migration profile was tied to the high demand for domestic labour, partly because local women increasingly preferred factory work. Although men were more often expelled overall, records reveal that after 1918 German female servants were expelled more frequently than before and were subject to stricter surveillance. The Leiden case supports the argument that local authorities primarily sought to control migrants’ mobility, with moral oversight more strongly directed at women.