Successful integration

Integration is a priority area for German policymakers and is considered a responsibility for the whole of society. Integration is not just something that society offers: it also requires that migrants commit to making an effort themselves. Integration can only succeed if it is a mutual process. According to the Residence Act, those foreigners who legally live long-term on German territory have a right to access federal integration services. These services include language lessons, integration in training, work, and education, as well as social integration. The goal is to enable these persons to be part of and play a part in society. The core element is an integration course consisting of language lessons and an orientation course. The Federal Government Federal Government The Federal Government and cabinet is made up of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. While the Chancellor holds the power to issue directives, the ministers have departmental powers, meaning that they independently run their respective ministries in the framework of those directives… Read more › is also planning to increase funding for business German courses. The Federal Government also aims to boost participation in education, particularly among young foreign citizens. Around a third of 20–34 year old foreign adults do not gain a vocational qualification. 

Reforms to citizenship laws in 2014 introduced dual citizenship. For people who were born to foreign parents after 1990 and who grew up in Germany, this removed the obligation to renounce either their German or their parents’ nationality. Previously, they had only been allowed to keep both nationalities until they turned 23.

Migrants who are expecting to remain in Germany for the longer term should be able to get a job or start vocational training quickly. To this end, the Federal Government Federal Government The Federal Government and cabinet is made up of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. While the Chancellor holds the power to issue directives, the ministers have departmental powers, meaning that they independently run their respective ministries in the framework of those directives… Read more › introduced legislation in 2019 to promote education and employment for foreigners. Anyone with good prospects of remaining in the country can now start working more quickly. The law also improved the provision of language courses and other integration services.

In 2019 the Federal Government also changed the rules governing benefits for asylum-seekers. The changes are aimed at preventing refugees from having to drop out of training courses or university for financial reasons. The Federal Government is also removing bureaucratic obstacles preventing access to healthcare. 

Volunteering plays a major role in supporting integration, both through the work of many volunteers who offer courses and everyday support to refugees and migrants, and also migrants who provide voluntary services themselves. Volunteering is likewise encouraged within the framework of the amended Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act.