The chair of the Turkish community in Germany, Gökay Sofuoglu, criticized the admission stop for integration courses announced by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
“Inequitable admission cuts for language and integration courses undermine the very tools that enable people to participate in the labor market and society” he told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Germany. “Language is participation – that’s a powerful, factual argument for such courses. Therefore, I see the reductions as wrong”. Sofuoglu added, “We need a forward‑looking policy, not short‑sighted budget freezes that destroy the painstakingly built integration network”.
BAMF informed course providers on Monday that, “for the time being” no more participants would be accepted for courses that are not mandatory. This applies to asylum seekers in process, refugees with pending status, EU migrants, and Ukrainian refugees. The restriction is justified by the cost of the courses.