Page 103 - valuing-diversity-guidance-for-labour-market-integration-of-migrants

Valuing diversity: guidance for labour market integration of migrants

4.3. Language and civic programmes: steps towards
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the development of CMS ( )

The Council resolution of 2008 on lifelong guidance systems sets the
development of CMS for all as a policy priority. Broadly understood, CMS reflect
the ability of people autonomously to make informed choices about their career,
in terms of both learning and work. The need to develop these skills is
transversal, but more severely felt by at-risk groups: this is frequently so for third-
country immigrants, who may have little capacity in the receiving country’s
language, culture and systems.
Basic integration programmes developed under common basic principle four
(see Box 1) tend to target a subset of the European catalogue of key
competences (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2006).
For individuals in a knowledge-based society, these include: communication in
the mother tongue; communication in foreign languages; mathematical
competence and basic competences in science and technology; digital
competence; learning to learn; social and civic competences; sense of initiative
and entrepreneurship; cultural awareness and expression.
Integration programmes tends to emphasise linguistic competence, civic
education and aspects of ‘learning to learn’, related to autonomous access to
learning options. There is variability in the weight these components might
assume and on the specific approach taken to foster competence development.
The most common option is to establish uniform inception programmes with
a set number of hours of language learning which allow the newly-arrived to
acquire a minimum level in the host country language. In some countries
(reported in France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom) these can
have voluntary follow-up courses, to obtain certificates in higher linguistic levels.
Increasingly the individual language level is assessed ahead of enrolling people
in language courses, adjusting provision to the identified needs (reported in
Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United
Kingdom).
Participation in these courses is still mostly voluntary in most European
countries, although language requirements are becoming standard for residence
permits and nationality requests (several European countries have introduced
language tests). Attending an integration course is compulsory in some countries

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( ) The information which supports this discussion was collected via expert interviews,
EMN factsheets and the EMN ad hoc query on programmes for the linguistic
integration of immigrants.

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