As Germany restricts access to state‑funded integration courses, we spoke to one non‑profit organisation which says it is ready to step in with free language lessons for migrants living in the country.
Estimates suggest that the government’s decision to limit access to integration courses could exclude up to 130,000 people from language and orientation classes designed to help newcomers settle into life and work in Germany.
Concerned that the move risks undermining years of progress in labour‑market integration, The Local contacted the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) to ask whether alternative support programmes would be offered to those now excluded from the system.
The ministry simply said it was “returning integration courses to their original purpose” and gave no indication that new or expanded alternatives were being planned.
At the same time, Lena Drobig of Germany’s Adult Education Association (DVV) told us that remaining state‑funded alternatives are inadequate.
READ ALSO: ‘Short-sighted’ – Cutting access to integration courses in Germany doesn’t make sense
“Free self‑study offers such as the vhs learning portal, or the limited number of initial orientation courses available, are not suitable for teaching the level of language proficiency required for skilled employment,” she said.
Against this backdrop, one organisation says it is attempting to fill part of the gap.
Free careers support and language lessons for migrants in Germany
Social Bee, a Munich‑based non‑profit social enterprise, offers careers advice, introductions to employers and free German language tuition for migrants and refugees already living in Germany – regardless of income or residence status.
“We don’t look at whether you’re poor or rich,” said Azhar Ahmad, Head of Marketing & Partner Acquisition at the organisation.
Instead, Social Bee focuses on removing practical barriers to integration, particularly language skills and access to employers.
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“The service is completely free for migrants and refugees who are already living in Germany,” explained Ahmad, stressing that the organisation does not require education vouchers.
Although Social Bee has been operating for nearly a decade, free language tuition is a recent addition. Just last year, the organisation partnered with GoFLUENT – a global online language learning and corporate training platform – to help migrant job seekers improve their German.
“When we heard about the cuts (to state integration courses), my first reaction was: thank God we acted when we did,” said Ahmad, who himself came to Germany from Malaysia 10 years ago and is clearly passionate about his work.
A student works through an online German language lesson on the topic of ‘customer service’. Photo provided by Social Bee
What Social Bee offers
With access to state integration courses shrinking and waiting lists growing, Social Bee is attempting to offer a more flexible alternative, combining language learning with ongoing careers support rather than a stand‑alone classroom course.
Around 4,500 people are currently enrolled in its language programme, said Ahmad, who told us that capacity isn’t currently a constraint. “So far, we have the capacity to help everyone who needs it,” he said.
Social Bee’s language tuition is delivered entirely online. In addition, participants are expected to be actively looking for work while improving their German, with language learning designed to support that goal.
The focus is less on formal certification and more on building the level of language proficiency needed to enter or re‑enter the labour market.
One challenge, Ahmad acknowledges, is convincing people that the offer is genuine. “People ask, ‘Why is it free? There must be a catch,’” he said.
Occasionally, that scepticism can deter people from completing the registration process, but Ahmad insists there really are no hidden costs. “We’re a non-profit. Our only goal is to help people succeed in Germany.”
READ ALSO: Six things to know about Germany’s job market in 2026
How to sign up – and what to expect
Social Bee’s careers support is designed to complement language learning by helping participants translate new skills into employment. This includes support with applications and introductions to partner companies that are actively hiring.
“We’re similar to job agencies,” Ahmad says, “but without the fees.”
Social Bee’s sign‑up process is deliberately simple. Registration is done via the organisation’s website, where users provide basic information such as their address, residence status and work history, a telephone number and German language level.
Instead of enrolling in a single course with a fixed end point, users apply to join Social Bee’s “talent pool”. There are no application deadlines. Once a profile is completed, users receive access to an appropriate online German course while the organisation looks for suitable job matches in the background.
A selection of language learning modules on the Social Bee platform. Photo provided by Social Bee
Social Bee also provides careers guidance, CV support and job matching with candidates matched to roles based on their experience and background.
“If someone has worked in finance before, we try to match them based on that,” Ahmad explained.
Social Bee is also selective about the sectors it works with. Based on previous experience, the organisation no longer places candidates in industries where exploitation is common. Ahmad cites the fast‑food sector as an example.
More about Social Bee
Social Bee was founded in 2016, amid the large‑scale refugee arrivals following the 2015/16 migration crisis. The organisation was launched in Munich by Zarah Bruhn and Maximilian Felsner with the aim of creating a more sustainable path into the labour market for migrants and refugees.
Initially focused on job placement, Social Bee later developed a non‑profit temporary employment model that combines placement with longer‑term, on‑the‑job support. Today, it works with more than 300 companies across Germany, spanning sectors such as technology, energy, retail, banking, logistics and manufacturing.
READ ALSO: Which job sectors in Germany need the most skilled workers?
Alongside job matching, Social Bee also advises employers on diversity, equity and inclusion, helping companies adapt recruitment and workplace practices when hiring people with refugee or migrant backgrounds.
The organisation is funded privately through fundraising, foundations and placement fees paid by partner companies.
Have you studied German or found work with Social Bee? Or perhaps you know of other free or cost-effective German language courses? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or emails us: news@thelocal.de
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
