Civic integration process for asylum status holders

Which learning route?

Your civic integration process depends on your learning route. Your Personal Integration and Participation (PIP) plan tells you which learning route you will follow. You made this plan together with your contact person during your broad intake.

B1 route

You will have lessons in Dutch at language proficiency level B1. You will also start working. This may be paid work, but it may also be unpaid, such as an internship or volunteer work. Your contact person will help you find a workplace. You will finish your civic integration process by taking an exam.

B1 Introductory route

You will have lessons in Dutch at language proficiency level B1. You will also enrol in a training programme. This programme is a vocational education and training programme (MBO 1). It will allow you to prepare yourself for an occupation. Once you finish the programme, you can move on to MBO 2. You will finish your civic integration process by taking an exam.

Education route

You will have lessons in Dutch at language proficiency level B1. You will also prepare to enrol in a programme at a Dutch vocational school (MBO), university of professional education (HBO), or research university. You will have extra lessons, for example in English and mathematics. You will finish your civic integration process by taking an exam.

Self-reliance route

You will have lessons in Dutch at language proficiency level B1. You will have 800 hours of language lessons and also work for 800 hours. This may be paid work, but it may also be unpaid, such as an internship or volunteer work. Your contact person will help you find a workplace. You are not required to take a civic integration exam.

Group sessions

Depending on your learning route, you will be obliged to attend certain group sessions. The group sessions for Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM) and Participation Statement Process (PVT) are compulsory for all learning routes. The Job Market and Participation Module (MAP) is only compulsory for the B1 and Self-reliance routes. Find out more about these sessions in steps 7, 8 and 9.

You will take a course at Vista College. During the course sessions, you will learn about the history, customs and culture of the Netherlands. For example, you will learn about the Dutch government. You will also learn how Dutch people interact with one another and what they do in various situations. For example: what should you do if you get sick? What should you do with your household rubbish?

You will participate in group sessions organised by the Dutch Council for Refugees (in Dutch: VluchtelingenWerk). During these sessions, you will get to know the core values of the Netherlands, for example equality, freedom, solidarity and participation in society. You and other status holders will learn about the norms, standards and core values of Dutch society and what they mean in real life. You will talk about examples and practise with one another.

Once you have completed all the sessions, you will sign the Participation Statement. By signing it, you state that you know and will respect the core values of the Netherlands.

You will attend group sessions organised by the municipality. During these sessions, you will learn about working in the Netherlands. You will learn what sort of jobs are available and what their requirements are here. You will also learn how to apply for a job in the Netherlands, for example by writing a letter and going for an interview. The goal is for you to be able to find a job later.

You will gain 40 hours of work experience. You can do that by doing volunteer work or an internship or by visiting companies.

You will finish this module with an interview with your contact person. You will talk about what you have learned and what sort of work you would like to do. Your contact person can help you find a job.

Do you already have a job and enough work experience? Then you may not need to attend these sessions. You should talk to your contact person about this.

You will finish your civic integration process by taking an exam. The exam is made up of five different parts: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Knowledge of Dutch Society.

If you are following the education route, then you will also take exams in the core subjects and specialist subjects that you have studied.

If you are following the self-reliance route, then you will not take an exam. Instead, you will finish by having a final interview with your contact person. You will then receive a civic integration certificate.

The Education Executive Agency DUO organises the exams. You register for the exams on DUO’s website, under ‘Log in to Mijn Inburgering’. Vista College and your contact person can help you with this.

After the exam, you will receive a letter from DUO telling you whether you have passed the exam. If you have passed, then you will receive a civic integration diploma.

If you did not pass your exam the first time, you can retake each part of the exam twice without having to pay the fee.

In some cases, you can take an exam at a lower language proficiency level. If you followed the B1 or B1 Introductory route but are unable to pass the exams at language proficiency level B1, talk to your contact person and Vista College. You may be able to take some exams at the A2 language proficiency level instead. That can often be arranged if you have already attended 600 hours of civic integration lessons.

Have you completed your learning route and passed all your exams? Congratulations, you have finished the civic integration process!

If you took the integration exams, you will receive a diploma. If you followed the self-reliance route, however, you do not need to take an exam. You will not receive a diploma in that case, but you will have an interview with the municipality and receive a certificate.