Integration courses: requirements
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Prerequisites for participation
Integration courses can be attended by many different groups of people. These include late repatriates and newly immigrated people who want to stay in Germany permanently, as well as foreigners who have been living in Germany for some time. Germans and EU citizens who are particularly in need of integration are also admitted, provided that there are course places available. In addition, refugees with the following status may participate:
- residence permit (positive asylum decision)
- persons with a ‚Duldung‘ (certificate of suspension of deportation)
- asylum seekers
Under certain circumstances, asylum seekers can also attend an integration course when they submit their asylum application. It is crucial that the persons have good prospects of staying.
According to the BAMF, these are individuals who come from countries of origin with a protection rate of over 50%. Which countries meet this criterion is determined every six months. In 2019 this applies to the following countries: 1
Eritrea Iraq Iran Somalia Syria
Obligation to participate
Under certain circumstances, some groups of people may even be obliged to participate in an integration course. If you are obliged to attend a course, you should register for it as soon as possible, otherwise there is a risk that financial benefits might be shortened or cancelled.
Here you will find an information sheet for obligated persons provided by the BAMF, which you are welcome to pass on. The leaflet is available free of charge in various languages.
- new immigrants who cannot communicate adequately and do not have sufficient knowledge of German,
- Foreigners who are particularly in need of integration can be invited to participate by the Foreigners Authority,
- Foreigners who receive benefits according to SGB II (German Social Code, volume 2) may be requested to participate by the supporting institutions
- Asylum seekers with good prospects of staying, tolerated persons with a temporary suspension of deportation and holders of a residence permit may be invited to participate by the benefit providers.