More orientation courses planned - Dispute over cuts - Germany tightens immigrant integration courses amid funding shifts and EU support
Federal Interior Ministry Cuts Integration Courses, Expands Basic Orientation Classes Instead—Criticism Mounts from the States
Planned federal budget cuts to integration courses have sparked fierce backlash, particularly from Germany's state governments. While more so-called initial orientation courses for asylum seekers are set to be introduced this autumn, these shorter—and cheaper—programs are unlikely to end the debate over the scope of educational offerings for immigrants, which teach German language skills and knowledge about life in Germany.
The cuts will also affect many war refugees from Ukraine. According to information obtained by the German Press Agency (dpa) from the Federal Interior Ministry, around 19,500 integration courses with roughly 300,000 participants are currently underway. Of these, 31 percent are Ukrainian men and women.
Integration Courses for Different Target Groups
Under Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), the ministry has decided to reduce funding for integration courses. Standard courses consist of 600 hours of German language instruction and 100 hours of orientation, covering topics such as Germany's legal system, as well as values like tolerance and gender equality. Participants with strong prior language skills may opt for a slightly shorter intensive course.
In the future, integration courses will only be available to those with a "positive long-term residence prospect." The ministry justified this by arguing that indefinitely financing these courses—which cost several thousand euros per participant—is unsustainable.
Costs: Up to €3,000 per Participant
According to the ministry, a standard integration course costs around €3,000 per participant. Courses for illiterate learners are more expensive due to the additional effort required, lasting longer and costing approximately €8,000 per person. There are also specialized courses for those who can read and write in their native language but use a different script, such as Cyrillic or Arabic.
During the traffic-light coalition government, integration courses were opened to all interested parties. Now, that policy is being reversed. Unlike before, foreigners without a legal entitlement will no longer be allowed to participate for free—even if spots are available.
This change affects asylum seekers whose applications are still pending (currently around 19 percent of participants) as well as EU citizens, who account for roughly nine percent of course attendees. They, too, will no longer have access to free enrollment.
Backlash from the States
Criticism of the austerity measures has been particularly strong among state leaders. Lower Saxony's Minister-President Olaf Lies (SPD) and his deputy, Julia Willie Hamburg (Greens), wrote a joint letter to Dobrindt, calling the signal sent by these cuts "disastrous for integration policy." They argued that the measures would force potential workers "to wait idly, only for the federal government to later blame them for failing to integrate." Brandenburg's Economics Minister Daniel Keller (SPD) described the cuts as a "step backward" and warned of negative consequences for the labor market's skilled workforce shortage.
The Federal Interior Ministry has countered that funding for integration courses in 2027 will still be significantly higher than pre-2023 levels. Between 2023 and 2025, costs surged—reaching €1.24 billion in 2024 alone. Recently, the share of voluntary participants has exceeded those referred by government agencies.
Mandatory participation in integration courses applies to recognized refugees whose asylum applications have been approved, as well as foreigners receiving support from job centers.
More Basic Courses on the Way
Whether it is mere coincidence that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) announced this week an expansion of initial orientation courses starting in November remains questionable. A more plausible explanation is that the move is intended to placate critics outraged by the budget cuts.
In a modular introductory orientation course totaling 300 hours of instruction, participants receive basic German language skills along with essential information to help them navigate daily life in Germany. The expansion of these programs has been made possible through additional EU funding, according to Hans-Eckhard Sommer, president of Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). In a statement, Sommer explained: "These courses are specifically designed for individuals whose long-term residency status remains uncertain—people for whom a full integration course would not be the right approach."
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