As of 1 May, Turkish citizens with an asylum status will be obliged to learn the Dutch language and gain knowledge about Dutch society and the labor market. They will soon have to successfully complete the integration exam in order to obtain a permanent residence permit. In this way, the Dutch Cabinet wants to give Turkish asylum status holders the opportunity to make a good start in the Netherlands. According to the new integration system, expected to be on 1 July 2021, all Turkish newcomers will be obliged to integrate.
Between 1 May and the introduction of the new integration system, only Turkish asylum status holders, their relatives and their family members are obliged to integrate. Until the introduction of the new integration law, Turkish family migrants and other migrants remain exempt from the integration obligation. Under current laws and regulations, these two groups of people can only be obliged to integrate if there is enough space for customization in the integration process. This is not sufficiently the case in the current integration system, but this will change in the new system. Then those who integrate will receive a personal integration plan with attention to their personal situation. As of the introduction of the new integration system, all Turkish newcomers can therefore be obliged to integrate - asylum migrants, family migrants and other migrants.
Civic integration is an important way for newcomers to find their way, learn the language and participate in society through work, internship or voluntary work. Civic integration students take language lessons and learn about Dutch society and the labor market.
Until 1 May, Turkish asylum status holders who come to the Netherlands are not obliged to integrate. They can choose to do so, and then have the same rights and obligations within the integration system as apply to other asylum status holders. This opt-in option expires on 1 May.