The Wet inburgering 2021 is the Dutch civic-integration law in force since 1 January 2022. It decides who must learn the Dutch language and learn about Dutch society. It also sets the level you need and gives your gemeente (municipality) the main role. For everyone whose obligation started on or after that date, it replaced the older 2013 law.
This guide explains what the law is, who it applies to, what it asks of you and how it differs from the old one.
What is the Wet inburgering 2021?
The Wet inburgering 2021 is the law for civic integration in the Netherlands. It decides who has to integrate, how and at what level. The English name is the Civic Integration Act 2021. According to the Dutch government, it came into force on 1 January 2022. The main idea is that you learn the language and take part in society at the same time, with help from your gemeente.
That help is the biggest change. Under this law you do not have to arrange everything alone. Your gemeente helps you make a plan and checks your progress with you.
Who does the Wet inburgering 2021 apply to?
It applies to everyone whose obligation to integrate started on or after 1 January 2022. If your obligation started before that date, the older 2013 law applies to you instead.
Not everyone has to integrate. Common exemptions include EU citizens, people under 18, people who lived here for at least eight years while they were of school age, and people with a Dutch-taught qualification. If you are not sure whether the rule applies to you, check your obligation letter and Mijn Inburgering. We explain the exemptions in vrijstelling inburgering.
What the law asks of you
Under the 2021 law you follow a route. After you receive your obligation letter, the gemeente invites you for a broad intake: an interview and a short test. Then, together with you, it sets your route in a personal plan. That plan is the Persoonlijk plan Inburgering en Participatie, or PIP. You then have 3 years to finish. That time starts the day after the gemeente sets your PIP.
There are three routes, set out by Rijksoverheid. The B1-route is the standard one. It aims at level B1, combined with work. The onderwijsroute is mainly for younger people who want to study in the Netherlands, at B1 or higher. The Z-route is for people who cannot reach B1. It has a lower level and focuses on taking part in society. Most people follow the B1-route. That makes B1 the usual level. If you are not sure which level fits you, read inburgering A2 or B1.
Besides the language exams, you also take KNM, the knowledge exam about Dutch society. On the B1-route you also do the MAP, a module about work that you do with your gemeente. The last part is the PVT: a few short sessions that end with signing a participation statement. We explain it in the PVT in inburgering.
How is it different from the old 2013 law?
Under the current law your gemeente guides you and the level is higher. Under the old law you arranged everything yourself. The table below compares the two. The facts come from DUO.
| Wet 2013 (old) | Wet 2021 (current) | |
|---|---|---|
| In force | Before 2022 | From 1 January 2022 |
| Applies to | Obligated before 2022 | Obligated from 2022 |
| Language level | A2 | B1 (through your route) |
| Who leads it | You arrange it yourself | Your gemeente, with a PIP |
| Who pays | You pay for it yourself (DUO loan) | Gemeente pays for asylum status holders. Family and other migrants pay for it themselves (DUO loan) |
Payment needs a short explanation. Under the old law you paid for your own course, with a DUO loan if you needed one. Under the 2021 law the gemeente pays for asylum status holders. They no longer borrow. Family and other migrants still pay for it themselves and can still borrow from DUO. So how you pay depends on which law you fall under and on your status. Your gemeente can tell you what applies to you.
Which law applies to me?
It depends on the date your obligation to integrate started. If it started on or after 1 January 2022, you fall under the 2021 law, with B1 as the standard. If it started before that date, you fall under the 2013 law, with A2. You can see which one applies to you in Mijn Inburgering. If you have a PIP, it also shows your route. Once you know which law is yours, the other rules are easier to follow. Our inburgering course trains for both: A2 under the 2013 law and B1 under the 2021 law.
The short version
The Wet inburgering 2021 is the current Dutch integration law, in force since 1 January 2022. It applies to people whose obligation started on or after that date. Your gemeente guides you through the PIP. There are three routes, with B1 as the standard level. If your obligation started earlier, the 2013 law still applies, with A2 as the level. Under both laws, family and other migrants can still borrow from DUO. Check which law is yours in Mijn Inburgering. The rest of the rules depend on that.