State Secretary Nobel: “Knowledge of the Dutch language and society is crucial for integration to participate and work. Waiting times for integration are too long. It is also important that the cabinet gains more control over migration. We continue working on an integration trajectory that introduces status holders to the Dutch language, society, and labor market as soon as possible. Too many status holders still lack sustainable employment. We all need to work hard on this.”
Asylum status holders and family and other migrants are required to integrate and must complete this within three years. Since January 1, 2022, the Integration Act 2021 has been in effect. Municipalities now have an important coordinating role in guiding integrants. The law focuses on learning the language, participation and work, and getting to know Dutch society.
Interim Evaluation
Research agency Regioplan assesses the functioning of Wi2021 after more than three years in the interim evaluation. All aspects of the integration system are covered, such as cooperation with implementation, market operations, integration courses, and guidance of integrants. The Court of Audit has also published a report on the new integration system. It is still too early for a full evaluation of the law, as a large part of integrants has not yet fully completed the new trajectory. The concerns of the Court of Audit align with the cabinets interim evaluation.
Combination of Work and Integration
Work and participation prove to be a challenge in practice. Municipalities sometimes struggle to find good participation places. For integrants, it is difficult to combine participation or work with language lessons. Both language and work are essential to participate. Evaluations show improvements are needed in combining language lessons in integration and work. The cabinet has started working on this.
Regulations are being adjusted to better allow integration obligation holders to combine paid work with their trajectory. For the period 2023-2026, €16 million has been made available for municipalities to experiment with starter jobs.
The cabinet endorses the Court of Audits conclusion that the potential of status holders in the labor market must be maximally utilized. Therefore, the state secretary will further engage with municipalities on how to work on target figures and registration of education and work experience.
Participation Declaration
In the interim evaluation conducted by the cabinet itself, the participation declaration for integrants was further examined. The cabinet considers it very important that integrants know and endorse the norms and values of Dutch society. The trajectory integrants follow to endorse the participation declaration contributes to this. More attention will be given to explaining the democratic rule of law, the importance of the rule of law above religious laws, and the significance of the Holocaust in Dutch history. With this, the state secretary implements motions from the House of Representatives that requested this.