News item | 24-05-2022 | 12:19
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) has found a solution for newcomers who incorrectly received a letter in January that they had to integrate under the Civic Integration Act (Wi) 2021. They can choose under which law they want to integrate: the Wi2021 or the old law from 2013.
The new Civic Integration Act came into effect on 1 January. However, some newcomers still have to integrate under the old law from 2013. This depends on the date on which they become obliged to integrate. Shortly after the introduction of the new integration system, it turned out that several newcomers had incorrectly received a notification that they had to integrate under the Wi2021. They should have been covered by the 2013 law. At the minister’s request, DUO therefore temporarily halted the integration process. The process resumed in March for newcomers who have to integrate under the Wi2021 and on May 23 for newcomers under the Wi2013.
The integrators who had received a wrong notification in January can choose under which law they will integrate. It is expected that asylum status holders would prefer to integrate under the Wi2021. That is why they are placed under the Wi2021. Under that regime, they receive guidance and an integration offer from the municipality. Asylum status holders can also choose to integrate under the 2013 law. They can make this known in a statement or during the broad intake at the municipality.
Family migrants and other migrants are placed under the Wi2013. They are expected to prefer to integrate under this law. Under that law, the language level of the exam is lower than under the Wi2021. If they prefer to integrate under the Wi2021, they can indicate this via a statement within a period of eight weeks.
All these integrators will receive a letter from DUO around 1 June explaining the differences between the two laws. For more information, they can contact DUO customer service. Municipalities can provide asylum status holders with additional explanations about these differences during the broad intake.
More information about the complication in the implementation of the new National Government Act. nl and on the Divosa’s website†