District administrator attracts asylum seekers with faster language courses and jobs!

District administrator attracts asylum seekers with faster language courses and jobs!

In St. Wendel (Saarland), District Administrator Udo Recktenwald (CDU) is trying to motivate asylum seekers with an innovative model. It offers express access to language courses for those migrants who are willing to work in non-profit jobs for at least a month. This work, which includes, for example, repairing playgrounds or maintaining cemeteries, is paid an hourly wage of 80 cents. After four weeks in this job, the participants are placed at the top of the waiting list for language courses and therefore do not have to endure the waiting times, which can often last up to six months. Recktenwald emphasizes that this offer is primarily aimed at Syrian asylum seekers, who make up 90 percent of the employable asylum seekers in the district. The background is that the BAMF stopped processing asylum applications for Syrian refugees in December 2024.

The BAMF expects around 326,000 new course participants for 2025, despite a reduction in federal funding for integration courses by a third. Recognized refugees, such as Ukrainians, are given preferential treatment, especially when there are capacity shortages in language courses. However, asylum seekers whose applications are still being examined will only be granted access to integration courses if appropriate places are available. This often leads to long waiting times, making it increasingly difficult to find enough certified teachers.

Conditions of participation and challenges

According to BAMF regulations, various groups of asylum seekers are entitled to take part in integration courses. This includes asylum seekers with a residence permit, tolerated foreigners and people with a residence permit. Participation in the integration courses is free of charge for those affected, but there are obligations to register that must be fulfilled immediately if an obligation to participate is made.

Participation in the integration course usually takes place after passing a placement test, which checks the asylum seekers' German language skills and assigns them the appropriate course. It is particularly important to encourage people to actively contribute to social participation. District Administrator Recktenwald sees his offer as a positive signal to society that refugees want to actively contribute to the community.

Social participation and responsibility

Recktenwald's model is intended not only to make language courses easier to access, but also to create a feeling of responsibility and participation. If work requirements are not met, financial benefits are reduced or canceled by the office, which further motivates migrants to actively participate in the program. This innovative approach could be an important step towards the integration of asylum seekers in the St. Wendel district by not only teaching them language skills, but also offering them a valuable daily structure.