Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many government services in Germany have had to be suspended. This includes integration and language courses coordinated by the German asylum office, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The body suspended all courses on March 16th. This action is mean to help approximately 220,00 immigrants in Germany resume their lessons, the BAMF has confessed to investing around €40 million to continue issuing the course in a digital format. Nearly 83,000 immigrants are now participating in the digital integration and language courses, said Uta Saumweber-Meyer, BAMF departments head.
BAMF has approved some 7,000 online tutorials and so-called virtual classrooms with lessons via video conferencing. While two thirds (140,000) of the participants whose lessons are interrupted took part in generic integration courses before the suspension, the official said, one third (80,000) participated in specialised vocational language courses.
Read more information on German Laws and legislation here: Legal News and Guides – Germany
With the current state of the pandemic it remains unclear as to when physical classes should be safe to be held. Germany has recently opened its borders and allowed air travel but social restriction rules are still in effect as announced by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but cases of the coronavirus are still present. Germany seems to have minimal cases as compared to other countries. Saumweber-Meyer warned that integration efforts must be upheld in times of the pandemic too, both personnel-wise and financially as a large group of immigrants in Germany, especially refugees, could end up in danger of bot making it upon their arrival in Germany.