4.14.3.2. Revising legislation on integration

The revision of integration acts continued in Finland and the Netherlands, with a greater focus on language requirements and the involvement of municipalities. In Slovakia, the scope of persons who can benefit from integration support and the offer of services were both increased. In Belgium, a Flemish decree stipulated that as of January 2022, applicants for international protection would not be able to follow the trajectory until they were officially granted a protection status. With this decree, a third pillar (employment services) was added to the first (social orientation) and second (Dutch language courses), while another, fourth pillar focused on the participation in a network trajectory of 40 hours. This pillar aims to extend a newcomer’s social network to increase their chances of integrating into the local society.1137

The Finnish government put a legislative proposal to consultation on the comprehensive reform of integration. The new system would increase the responsibility of municipalities in the integration process, and services supporting integration would be organised in the framework of a new municipal integration programme. Municipalities would assess the skills of migrants and agree on a personal integration plan which includes services and goals.1138 The programme would include an exam in the Finnish or Swedish language.

A corresponding legislative proposal was made to amend three different acts, transferring the responsibility of health care and social services from municipalities to ‘wellbeing services counties’. The proposal clarified their roles and responsibilities in the integration process.1139 When integration customers are clients of employment services and welfare areas, the Integration Act has taken into account the transfer of social and health services from municipalities to welfare areas from the beginning of 2023 and the transfer of employment services from the state to municipalities from the beginning of 2025. 

Amendments to the Slovak Asylum Act entered into force in June 2022, regulating the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. The law 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 are provided as part of the initial integration process, and integration centres are able to provide accommodation not only for refugees but also for foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection.1140

The new Civic Integration Law entered into force on 1 January 2022 in the Netherlands, where newcomers under an integration obligation are guided through the process by municipalities.1141 The Education Agency started to impose the integration obligation from the beginning of the year but had to temporarily halt the process until March 2022, as for some persons the old legislation from 2013 should have applied.1142 The process resumed in March 2022 without further complications. Evaluating the first year of the law’s implementation, the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment noted the lack of qualified Dutch language teachers, which could hinder the integration process.1143