Demand increased: 4 in 10 refugees passed the integration test

Overall, demand for the courses was higher than the year before: with around 80,000 exams completed in 2024, the share of participants increased by 21 percent.

The values ​​and orientation courses have been given since 2015 and have been mandatory since the entry into force of the Integration Act in 2017 for those entitled to asylum and subsidiary protection in Austria. However, for displaced people from Ukraine, the courses are voluntary. If you add both groups together, according to the ÖIF, about 51 percent will have completed the integration courses by 2024.

If people entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection do not participate, do not participate or do not complete the courses – i.e. the Values ​​and Orientation Course and German courses with the target level B1 – this will lead to legal sanctions which may lead to a reduction in state benefits. In concrete terms, a reduction in social assistance or the needs-based minimum income can be implemented by the responsible authorities in the Länder. However, there are no consequences if the result is negative.

Syrians and Ukrainians are making progress in German courses
In 2024, the ÖIF provided more than 67,500 German course places, which represents an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the previous year. Most places were occupied by Syrians (47 percent) and Ukrainian displaced persons (34 percent), followed by citizens of Afghanistan with eight percent, Somalia with three percent and Iran with two percent.

In 2024, the ÖIF registered approximately 230,000 counseling contacts in the integration centers in all nine states. The majority of them are in Vienna with 98,000, followed by Upper Austria (24,000) and Styria (22,000). A total of 104,000 integration declarations have been signed since the Integration Act came into effect in 2017, including approximately 14,000 in 2024. In total, approximately 12,000 participants took part in the values ​​and orientation courses, the majority of which took place in Vienna.

Refund possible
Anyone with qualifications and training acquired abroad and recognized in Austria can apply for funding to cover the costs: in 2024, around 1,900 nostrifications were financed by the ÖIF with an amount of more than 400,000 euros. The ÖIF also offers individual business German courses to companies, allowing them to learn German while entering the job market.

Franz Wolf, Director of the ÖIF, emphasized in view of the increasing demand: “Integration requires the will and effort to learn German, work and get to know Austria better.”