Austria's new integration plan: mandatory courses for refugees!

Austria's new integration plan: mandatory courses for refugees!

Österreich - On May 28, 2025, the Austrian Council of Ministers decided on a comprehensive mandatory integration program for refugees, displaced persons and asylum seekers with a high probability of recognition. This program aims to improve integration in Austria and consists of three essential columns: learning the German language, integration into the labor market and the mediation of values ​​and orientation.

The program stipulates that participation in the modules is mandatory. In the event of a refusal, the participants must expect sanctions that can range from performance cuts to administrative penalties. A central measure of the new integration concept is the mandatory integration advice, which includes a collection of personal skills and an individual package of measures. The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) will act as the main provider of German courses.

German courses and labor market integration

Last year, the ÖIF has already provided 67,500 German courses and recorded more than 150,000 participation in online German learning offers. These language courses are also offered at an outskirts, on weekends and professionally. The level of education of asylum and subsidiary beneficiaries shows that two out of three of these groups have a need for literacy. Therefore, the integration approach will also prioritize integration into the labor market, even for people with little knowledge of German.

according to Arbeitsagentur.de offer integration courses in Germany comprehensive German lessons and convey important information about social life. Participants in full-time and part-time courses receive 700 lessons who focus on everyday topics. The course concludes with the "German test for immigrants" (DTZ), and the orientation course deals with rights and obligations as well as social values.

data and transparency in integration measures

The decision of the Council of Ministers calls for a complete data message from all responsible authorities in order to avoid dual tracks and abuse. Automated data exchange should also support evidence -based integration measures. Comprehensive information about the integration courses, which was launched in 2005, is currently available. Over two million people have already participated in integration courses that are valid for everyone who live permanently in Germany.

Additional types of course take into account different needs: overview courses for immigrants with different educational backgrounds, intensive courses and special offers for young people and women. These differentiated training helps to promote individual language skills and at the same time to improve the opportunities for integration in the labor market. Integrationslämpertte.de informs about the various available course types and thus creates transparency about the possibilities of language and values ​​in Germany.

In summary, the new integration program in Austria pursues the goal of optimally preparing everyone involved for integration into society and thus ensuring a sustainable improvement in living conditions for refugees and asylum seekers.