Success for adaptation-integration courses! Most participants praised their quality

The vast majority of graduates rate the "Welcome to the Czech Republic" adaptation and integration courses as beneficial, clear, and well-organized. This was shown by a survey involving 626 participants throughout last year. A record 97% of foreigners were satisfied with the quality of the instruction. More than a third would have signed up for the course even if it were not mandatory.  

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"We are naturally pleased with the evaluation results, but I must admit, quite immodestly, that they do not come as a complete surprise to us. We have received similar ratings in previous years. We spent several years carefully preparing and testing the course format, and we continue to adjust them based on feedback from participants, instructors, and interpreters. We can see that this work is paying off. We will continue to improve the courses because their quality and practical utility are key for us," says course methodologist Blanka Vosecká Veselá from Slovo 21.

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An adaptation and integration course is an educational seminar that helps foreigners orient themselves in the Czech Republic as quickly as possible. Since 2021, it has been mandatory for certain groups of newly arrived foreigners. During that time, nearly 40,000 people have completed the course. At the seminar, foreigners receive essential information about life in the Czech Republic. They learn about their rights and obligations, conditions for work and business, as well as Czech customs and traditions. Topics such as domestic violence and gender equality are also covered.

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However, the number of graduates of adaptation and integration courses has been declining in recent years. Last year, over 6,500 people completed them, which is almost a third less than in 2023.

"Data on newly arrived foreigners show that awareness of adaptation and integration courses is still insufficient. Many foreigners find out about this obligation too late, which can cause them complications," points out Vosecká Veselá.

Foreigners who fail to complete the course within one year of receiving their residence permit card risk a fine of up to 10,000 CZK. Some groups are exempt from this legal obligation—for example, children under 15, seniors over 61, or holders of international protection.

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Over the course of last year integration centers organized a total of 411 adaptation-integration courses in 40 municipalities and cities across the Czech Republic. Nearly half of the courses were interpreted into English, followed by Ukrainian, Russian, and Mongolian. As in previous years, the highest number of courses took place in Prague, followed by Brno and Plzeň.

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The Welcome to the Czech Republic project is funded by the Ministry of the Interior.