Integration courses
Since its introduction in 2005, the integration course has been the most important federal measure of integration policy.
The course typically consists of 600 hours of language instruction and a 60-hour orientation course dealing with issues of Germany’s history, culture and legal system. The course ends with a language examination and a nationally standardized test on the content of the orientation course.
In order to accommodate the different levels of course participants, apart from the 600-hour course there are other course models tailored to individual needs:
- Integration courses targeted at groups requiring special assistance such as youths, parents, women, persons who are illiterate and persons with special language teaching needs may include up to 900 hours of instruction, with the possibility of repeating 300 hours in the language component.
- Intensive courses enable participants who can complete the course objectives in fewer than the standard 660 hours of instruction to finish the integration course in only 430 hours; this option was designed specifically with working people and qualified immigrants in mind.
The orientation course has recently been expanded from 45 to 60 hours in order to enable a more intensive treatment of the German legal system and society..
Facts and figures
- The Federal Government has already invested more than €1.2 billion in the integration courses. From the time the Immigration Act entered into force in 2005 through 31 December 2011, more than 1,037,000 certificates entitling participation in the courses were issued.
- Since 2005, more than 59,000 integration courses offered by approximately 1,400 course providers nationwide have been carried out.
- Roughly 500,000 persons have successfully completed the integration course.
