How do EMN Member Countries approach civic training as a tool for integration?

Effective integration of migrants is an important part of successful migration management for EU countries. The main goal of civic orientation across all countries is to enable and promote the integration of eligible third-country nationals by equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to take part in the social, economic, cultural and political life of the host society.

This EMN Ireland Migration Memo provides a comparative overview of the approaches to civic training measures implemented by 25 EMN Countries and outlines key findings of an EMN-OECD joint Inform (2024).

Key takeaways

• Most EMN Member Countries offer some form of civic orientation to migrants, with many providing options designed to support participants’ attendance, such as online courses, evening or lunch break timings, childcare during class time, and trainings available in multiple languages.
• Civic integration usually covers information on the functioning of the host society (e.g. norms, values, institutions) and/or practical information on accessing services. Gender equality is the most common topic.
• Civic orientation courses or trainings are free for attendees in the majority of EMN Member Countries, and around half of countries make it compulsory in some circumstances.