Language exam for foreigners in Czechia will become more difficult
As Vinegret.cz notes, this issue has been discussed for the past six years, but only now has the Ministry of Education completed the drafting of the relevant bill and will present it to the Czech government in the coming days.
“If everything had happened quickly, they would have said that the Minister of Education signed the law without looking. And when the issue was discussed with everyone, including experts in the field, they say it took too long. In any case, I am glad that we managed to finalize the document and I hope the government will approve it,” said Interior Minister Robert Plaga.
Today, to obtain permanent resident status, foreigners must, among other things, demonstrate proficiency in the Czech language at the beginner level A1. The authorities plan to raise the difficulty of the test by one level – to level A2.
The exam will still consist of a written part (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, writing) and an oral part (speaking skills, communication). The first attempt will remain free. Each retake (a maximum of three per year) will have to be paid for; exactly how much is not yet clear. Earlier versions of the document mentioned an amount of 1,500 crowns. Foreigners will also retain the opportunity to study the language for free in integration courses at specialized organizations.
The initiators of the innovation note that level A1 is insufficient for the full integration of migrants. As an example, they cite the fact that such a low level for obtaining permanent residence is currently set in only two EU countries – France and Czechia itself.
“Compared to other European countries, the institution of permanent residence in Czechia is the strongest. This status gives a foreigner almost the same rights as a citizen (except the right to vote). Raising the requirements for the language exam is not discrimination. On the contrary, the goal is to create conditions for better integration of migrants into society,” the document states.
It should be noted that since the introduction of the mandatory language exam in January 2009, the pass rate has decreased from 80% to 61%. The test causes the greatest problems for citizens from non-Slavic countries, particularly Vietnamese. Specialists at integration centers fear that making the exam more difficult could seriously worsen the situation.