Germany is tightening the requirements for passing one of the main language exams for immigrants from November 1st. What does that mean for people planning to apply for citizenship, permanent residence or an integration course certificate?
Foreign residents across Germany may have seen headlines this week about tougher rules for the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ), the language exam taken at the end of the country’s state-funded integration courses.
The change has prompted an obvious question – if the DTZ is becoming harder to pass, does that mean the language requirements for citizenship or permanent residence are also increasing?
Here we answer some of the main questions that many foreign residents in Germany may be asking about language tests, and the related requirements for gaining a more permanent legal status in the country.
What exactly is changing?
Put simply, it may be harder to achieve higher levels of proficiency via the DTZ in future.
The DTZ assesses speaking, listening, reading and writing skills through an oral exam and two written components.
Until now, candidates could achieve an overall B1 result if they reached B1 level in the speaking section and in either the writing section or the combined listening and reading section.
From November 1st, candidates will still need B1 in speaking and B1 in either writing or listening and reading. But from that date they will also need to achieve at least A2 level in the remaining written component to achieve the same result. (Previously a low score in the written section would not necessarily negate a higher score achieved in at least two of the other sections.)
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In practical terms, this means candidates will no longer be able to obtain an overall B1 result if one part of the written exam is left blank or completed at a very low level.
The Interior Ministry says the change is intended to reduce cheating and strengthen the reliability of the test.
Do I now need higher German for citizenship or permanent residence?
The short answer is no. The government’s new rules affect how the DTZ is assessed, but they do not change Germany’s legal language requirements for citizenship or the language thresholds attached to residence procedures.
Germany’s citizenship law still generally requires applicants to demonstrate German at B1 level. The newly published regulation does not change that requirement.
Instead, it changes the conditions under which one particular B1 certificate, the DTZ, can be obtained.
The same principle applies to many residence procedures that accept B1-level German as proof of language competence. The language threshold itself has not been raised.
Can I take an alternative type of language test instead?
The DTZ is only one of several recognised ways to prove B1-level German.
Accepted qualifications for citizenship can also include certificates such as telc Deutsch B1, Goethe-Zertifikat B1, ÖSD Zertifikat B1 and DSD I.
Certain German school qualifications, vocational training certificates and university degrees may also fulfil the language requirement.
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For many applicants, particularly those who are not attending integration courses, the DTZ is therefore not the only available option.
What if I’m currently taking an integration course?
The most important thing is to pay attention to every part of the exam, including writing.
Under the previous system, candidates could still achieve an overall B1 result even if their writing score was very low, provided they reached the required standard in speaking and in listening and reading.
READ ALSO: ‘Memorise grammar’ – How foreigners in Germany passed the B1 language test for citizenship
From November, candidates will need to demonstrate at least A2-level ability in both written components if they want to achieve an overall B1 result.
The government argues that written German skills are an important part of everyday life, from communicating with authorities to participating in the labour market.
What about existing certificates?
The published regulation introduces new testing requirements from November 1st but does not contain any provisions relating to certificates that have already been issued.
Regulatory changes of this kind would not normally be expected to affect certificates that have already been awarded.
The Local has contacted the relevant authorities for further details, we’ll update this article if further practical information is revealed.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
