Integrationskurs (Integration courses)
Following the entry into force of the Immigration Act on 1 January 2005, German language courses are now mandatory for all new immigrants. The existing German courses for ethnic German resettlers and “foreign workers” were merged. Responsibilities were transferred from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which commissioned the agency known at that time as the Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees (BAFL) to undertake the administration of the courses. The BAFL became the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), which acquired extensive tasks in the area of integration and migration.
Since then, the BAMF has been responsible for determining whether an immigrant may attend an integration course or whether s/he can be obliged to attend. It is also responsible for the formal structure and content of the integration courses and for the provision of funding. The integration course is obligatory for new arrivals during the first two years of residence in Germany as well as for unemployed immigrants. EU citizens and immigrants who have lived in Germany for more than two years but who have not yet learned sufficient German may attend the courses on a voluntary basis.
Besides the general integration courses, the following courses for special requirements are also available:
New arrivals make up 38.6% of the participants on the integration courses (as at: 01.04.2012). Immigrants who have already been living in Germany for some time and EU citizens can attend the courses on a voluntary basis and form the second largest group of participants (35.5%). Unemployed immigrants whose attendance is required by the foreigners authority or local employment office account for a further 24.5%. The proportion of ethnic German resettlers is low and has now fallen to just 1.3%.
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Since then, the BAMF has been responsible for determining whether an immigrant may attend an integration course or whether s/he can be obliged to attend. It is also responsible for the formal structure and content of the integration courses and for the provision of funding. The integration course is obligatory for new arrivals during the first two years of residence in Germany as well as for unemployed immigrants. EU citizens and immigrants who have lived in Germany for more than two years but who have not yet learned sufficient German may attend the courses on a voluntary basis.
Besides the general integration courses, the following courses for special requirements are also available:
- Integration courses for parents
- Women’s integration courses
- Integration courses including literacy skills
- Youth integration courses
- “Catch-up” courses
- Intensive courses
New arrivals make up 38.6% of the participants on the integration courses (as at: 01.04.2012). Immigrants who have already been living in Germany for some time and EU citizens can attend the courses on a voluntary basis and form the second largest group of participants (35.5%). Unemployed immigrants whose attendance is required by the foreigners authority or local employment office account for a further 24.5%. The proportion of ethnic German resettlers is low and has now fallen to just 1.3%.
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