The revision of integration acts continued with many legislative pieces entering into force throughout 2021.

 

The Slovak government adopted a draft amendment to the Asylum Act, defining and regulating the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. The amendment extends the provision of a one-time financial contribution to foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection and introduces an integration allowance to all beneficiaries of international protection. Social and psychological counselling and a cultural orientation course will be provided as part of the initial integration process, and integration centres will be able to provide accommodation not only for refugees but also for foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection.1153

 

A new Integration Act was adopted in Norway in 2020 and entered into force in January 2021. The changes put more emphasis on training participants in the introduction programme (mostly refugees) on the skills required by Norwegian employers or needed to qualify for further education. The new legislation made the mapping of skills and career guidance mandatory before beginning the introduction programme and changed the provision of language support from required hours to a required level. The previous standard 2-year programme was replaced by a wider range of programmes from 3 months to 3 years. 1154

 

The new Civic Integration Law entered into force on 1 January 2022 in the Netherlands, where newcomers under integration obligation are guided through the process by municipalities.1155  The Education Agency started to impose this integration obligation from the beginning of the year but had to temporarily halt this process until March 2022, as for some persons still the old legislation from 2013 should apply. 1156

 

Changes to the integration path entered into force in the Flemish region of Belgium. The new programme includes four components (language learning, economic autonomy, social orientation, social networking and participation) and concludes with an exam. The compulsory programme is subject to a EUR 360 fee. The changes were highly debated throughout its adoption process.1157 The French-speaking Brussels Community Commission – the francophone government of Brussels – announced that the city’s integration programme became mandatory on 1 January 2022, and those who fail to comply receive a fine.1158

 

The Finnish parliament reviewed the effectiveness of migrant integration in the country in 2019, and the government started preparations for a comprehensive action plan following that report.1159   The Equality Ombudsperson provided positive feedback in spring 2021 on the government’s draft report on the need to reform integration support.1160  The draft is foreseen to be presented to the Finnish parliament in September 2022. 1161  In parallel to this process and building on consultations with NGO activists of immigrant background, the Finnish National Coalition Party – currently in opposition – published its own proposals for amendments in June 2021. 1162