Promotion of integration , format: Article, area: Authority

Development and implementation of the integration courses

Obtaining a knowledge of German is particularly important for integration. The Federal Office provides the foundation for this with the integration courses. These consist of a language course, as well as an orientation course at which attendees learn more about living in Germany and about the standards and values which apply in society. The integration courses are offered nationwide, and are implemented on the spot by private and public organisations. As well as a general course, there are also courses for special target groups, in particular for women, parents and juveniles, as well as literacy courses. The framework conditions and course concepts of the integration courses are refined on an ongoing basis.

Migration advice for adult immigrants

The Federal Office is responsible for implementing migration counselling for adults. This counselling supplements the integration course. Adult immigrants can take up this advisory service before, during and even after attending the integration course.

These individual counselling services initiate, manage and accompany the integration process. The national associations of independent welfare and the Federation of Expellees advise immigrants on behalf of the Federal Office within a nationwide network of counselling facilities.

Promoting projects and measures for integration within society

The Federal Office is responsible for planning and implementing programmes for linguistic, societal and vocational integration. It additionally promotes integration projects which tackle the issues arising when immigrants come into contact with the host society in everyday life.

In order to reach a mutual understanding of integration, the projects are firstly to help enhance migrants’ skills and enable them to take part in the life of society on an equal footing. Over and above this, successful cohesion within society is about approaching the host society and raising an awareness of living in a plural, culturally-diverse society. The goal is to establish a culture of welcome and mutual acknowledgement.

Amongst others, projects are promoted which:

• improve mutual acceptance within society,
• encourage immigrants to take up services offered in their areas,
• prevent violence and crime,
• enhance intercultural skills,
• promote civic commitment, as well as
• involving migrants’ organisations more closely in integration work on the ground.

The projects are carried out in cooperation with associations, foundations, clubs, migrants’ organisations and initiatives as well as authorities at federal, Land and local level. Funding is available for this from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, and from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

Vocational German language promotion

Vocational German language promotion directly builds on the integration course.

This type of promotion is a standard instrument of the Federation’s language promotion, and is implemented by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. It serves the purpose of advanced language acquisition in order to improve opportunities for integration into the first labour and training market. The measures are understood as an element relating to other labour market-relevant further training activities, and are to facilitate both directly taking up employment or training, as well as access to further skill-building activities.

The activities are implemented by selected organisations and co-operations between organisations.

Regional coordination

The regional coordinators of the Federal Office are in direct contact with the agencies which are involved in the integration events such as course providers, migration counselling agencies, immigration authorities and Job Centres. The Federal Office thus uses its decentralised regional office structure to sustainably interlink its integration tools with a view in mind to create a grassroots integration partnership with the activities of the Länder, the local authorities and other players. The regional coordinators also make sure that the quality standards for the integration courses, the migration counselling agencies and the projects which the Federal Office promotes, and which were developed by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, are maintained.

Tasks related to the reception and distribution of Jewish immigrants

The Federal Office is responsible for implementing the reception and distribution procedure for Jewish immigrants from the successor states of the former Soviet Union (not including the Baltic States). Individuals who are of Jewish origin may lodge a reception application via the German diplomatic representations there so that they can enter the Federal Republic of Germany. The Federal Office examines these applications, decides on them and issues reception agreements if the legal prerequisites for this apply.

The German Islam Conference

The German Islam Conference is the most important forum between the German State and Muslims living in Germany. As a dialogue forum that was established for the long term, the Conference provides an institutionalised framework for maintaining relations between the German State and Muslims in Germany. Together with representatives of the Muslims, representatives of the Federation, the Länder and the local authorities, led by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, draw up practice-orientated solutions for successful co-existence. Relevant topics include promoting gender equality and preventing extremism, radicalisation and the polarisation of society.

Focal topics include religious participation, welfare and pastoral care.

The German Islam Conference aims to improve the dialogue between the State and Muslims, and hence to make a contribution towards the social integration of Muslims as well as their integration under the law on religion, and towards social coherence in Germany.

As the secretariat of the German Islam Conference, the Federal Office supports this process in both organisational and content terms. One activity is the Conference’s website, the editorial team of which is at the Federal Office, and which presents topics and discussions from the German Islam Conference to a broad public.

Information and service regarding integration

The website of the Federal Office offers comprehensive information relating to the topic of asylum, migration and integration at: www.bamf.de.

The Service Centre answers further questions on weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following telephone number: +49 911 943-6390.

Hotline: Working and living in Germany

The staff from the "Working and living in Germany" hotline advise qualified specialists, students, as well as companies and authorities, in both German and English on the topics of:

• looking for employment, work and working life
• recognition of foreign vocational qualifications
• entering the country and residence
• learning German.

The hotline is run jointly by the Federal Office and the Central Placement Office for Work Abroad and Specialist Workers of the Federal Employment Agency, and offers comprehensive initial advice on questions related to immigration, integration and looking for employment. The staff refer enquirers to the appropriate contacts where necessary.

The hotline is available from Monday to Friday between 9.00 a.m. and 3 p.m. on: +49 30 1815-1111.