Beyond the already debated halt on enrollment for integration courses, the federal government is reportedly planning further reductions in specialized training for newcomers. According to reports from the “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung”, these proposed changes include lowering the required language level for less academically proficient participants, specifically from B1 to A2.
The Volkshochschulen (VHS) in North Rhine-Westphalia warn that such measures would significantly hinder the successful integration of migrants into the job market. Klaus Hebborn, President of the VHS State Association for NRW, stated that the government was “massively undermining established integration structures”. He added that these proposed cuts contradicted the government’s stated goal of promoting skilled labor. Hebborn called for the immediate lifting of the enrollment freeze and urged that the federal government abandon any initiatives that weaken the integration curriculum.
These concerns are based on “guiding questions” being discussed in a federal commission reviewing the courses. The proposed changes include adopting “digital self-learning phases” without accompanying teachers, reducing hours in basic literacy courses, and questioning the value of the final test, “Living in Germany”. This test currently covers broad topics such as politics, religious diversity, and gender equality.
The VHS interprets these suggestions as a direct assault on the core system of integration. They predict that the language proficiency goal must be cut from B1 to A2, and that essential class time will be replaced by online modules. Furthermore, the critical orientation course-where newcomers learn about German law and society-finds itself in jeopardy.
This worrying trend follows from the initial announcement earlier this year that the federal government would no longer grant enrollment permissions for integration courses to many newcomers. This restriction particularly affects asylum applicants, individuals granted temporary residency, Ukrainian refugees, and EU citizens, such as those from Romania and Bulgaria. The government has cited insurmountable financial challenges as the reason for the policy shift.