German gov’t blocks 30.000 people from attending integration courses

Figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior have provided the first concrete insight into how migrants in Germany are affected by the government’s recent decision to restrict access to integration courses.

BAMF freezes 30.000 out of integration courses

Figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, first reported by WELT, have revealed that 29.662 people had their applications to attend German integration courses rejected between January 1 and February 24, 2026.

Integration courses are designed by the German government to help anyone who has recently arrived in Germany to learn basic German language skills, adjust to everyday life, culture and customs. 

In 21.400 of these cases, applicants were told that there were no spaces available in the integration course. According to the ministry, a further 25.762 applications that were pending at the end of February are also likely to have been rejected. The figures were made public following a parliamentary request from the Greens.

Why are integration course applicants being frozen out?

Back in early February, an open letter from the Institute for Language and Communication (ISK) criticised the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees’ (BAMF) decision to freeze admissions to German integration courses.

According to the letter, BAMF quietly began freezing prospective students out in early December 2025, but integration course teachers were never officially informed about the nationwide admissions freeze. After widespread criticism, BAMF officially confirmed its new admissions policy in mid-February. 

Until now, pretty much anyone without sufficient German language skills to navigate everyday situations could take an integration course and apply to the BAMF for their fees to be partially or fully covered. This included non-EU citizens, EU citizens and even German citizens (e.g. people with a German passport by ancestry who were new to Germany).

Certain groups are obliged to take part in the courses, for example, non-EU citizens whom the BAMF had determined to have insufficient German skills to make themselves understood in everyday situations. 

According to a report from Correctiv, the German government wants to ensure that in future, "only refugees and migrants with so-called prospects of remaining in the country will be approved for courses by the BAMF – in other words, those who are expected to be allowed to stay in Germany on a long-term basis".

Courses cut due to low student numbers

Initially, the German government stressed that it was not cutting courses but restricting access. However, voluntary participants previously made up more than half of all integration course students.

Now that these people have been frozen out, teachers do not have the student numbers required to run classes, and courses are being cut as a result. These cuts are also affecting students required to attend an integration course and putting teachers' jobs at risk.

While the ministry maintains that integration courses are not a prerequisite for workplace integration and austerity measures are necessary, critics say the government is shooting itself in the foot amid a record-high worker shortage.

In February, Commissioner for Integration Natalie Pawlik (SPD) warned that the cuts are likely to cost more in the long run, since it will be harder for migrants to access the labour market through language skills and to become financially independent.