What EU countries do to promote the language proficiency of beneficiaries of international protection?

Almost all EU Member States provide beneficiairies of international protection permit with language courses or other forms of language training. To build a life in a new country, knowledge of the language is essential.

> Read the full study (comparison between 24 countries*) and the EMN Netherlands two-pager (comparison of the Netherlands with other Member States from a Dutch perspective)

From formal education programmes to initiatives run by volunteers: there is a wide range of options for language training. New research from the European Migration Network maps what EU Member States and the EMN Observer Countries are doing to promote the language proficiency and literacy of beneficiaries of international protection.

Almost all countries offer general or targeted language training. At the same time, beneficiaries of international protection often face circumstances that may hinder participation. These include, for example:

• low literacy, trauma and family separation;
• learning needs that differ by age, gender and country of origin;
• being familiar or not with a country’s writing system;
• structural barriers and social expectations that limit women’s access to learning opportunities.

Which measures do EU Member States and the EMN Observer Countries consider effective?

• In 14 countries, including the Netherlands, language training for beneficiaries of international protection is linked to employment. Examples include work-based learning pathways, training in specific sectors such as construction or healthcare, and projects that encourage employer involvement.
• Digital tools and platforms are used in 7 countries to support language learning outside the classroom. The French app Bonjourbonjour and the Irish platform KELS.ie are examples of such initiatives.
• 17 countries, including the Netherlands, offer additional forms of support, such as flexible lesson times, childcare, and online or hybrid courses.

*Participating countries: Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Cyprus (CY), Czechia (CZ), Germany (DE), Estonia (EE), Greece (EL), Finland (FI), France (FR), Hungary (HU), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Latvia (LV), Malta (MT), Netherlands (NL), Poland (PL), Sweden (SE), Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES); Serbia (RS)