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Family life in early modern Amsterdam was often precarious, with children frequently requiring institutional or communal care due to the inability of their parents to provide for them. The city had a well-developed system of charitable institutions that supported these children, including those with a migration background. This article examines the educational and career opportunities available to children with a migration background in eighteenth-century Amsterdam. By using the bestedelingen (foster children) registers of the Lutheran Church as a historical source, this study offers detailed insights into their upbringing and prospects. By tracing their trajectories over time, it explores the extent to which the descendants of immigrants in early modern Amsterdam were able to achieve social mobility, particularly within urban trades and maritime occupations. This contributes to a broader understanding of children of lower social standing in early modern European cities.