Link - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

Participants repeatedly emphasized that the ability to speak
the language of the country of destination is one of the most
important facets of integration. language and communication can
help build the bonds between migrants and the members of the
host society that facilitate integration. Moreover, there is value in
migrants continuing to use their native language in parallel to the
language of the host society. Economically, socially and culturally,
the country of destination as a whole may draw benefits from a
multilingual population and countries may want to consider ways
to encourage or facilitate its development.
language, however, is not a proxy for integration. Instead,
language is a precursor to all other facets of integration. It forms
the basis for daily social interaction, for participation in the
social, cultural and political life of the host community; it often
determines academic success and access to the labour market.
Several participants commented on high drop-out rates of migrant
children in school, partly due to inadequate language skills.
Experiences of countries such as Belgium and Germany have
shown that the language abilities of parents can have a strong
impact on the academic performance of their children. Initiatives
have been developed to provide academic assistance to migrant
children in tandem with language-learning and general integration
initiatives targeted at the parents.
Most successful language trainings are tailored to the
differentiated needs of migrants, including their age, their level
of education and their mother tongue, which influences the
ease of acquiring a new language. Australia, for instance, offers
both a regular Adult Migrant English Programme and a Special
Preparatory Programme designed for humanitarian entrants
who have difficulty adapting to a formal learning environment.
Canada has also established different degrees of language training,
including the language Instructions for Newcomers to Canada,
the Enhanced language Training and the Canadian language
Benchmark levels.
Cultural integration of course goes beyond language acquisition.
As the example of Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica has shown,
even where migrants and the host community speak the same
language, integration efforts are required. Cultural integration
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