Prague, Oct 26 (CTK) – Foreign immigrants will spend six months in Czech state-run integration centres at the most to prepare for life in the country, according to a new national programme for foreigner integration drafted by the Interior Ministry, the ministry told CTK yesterday.
The ministry is to submit the programme to the government for approval by the end of the year, so that it is implemented as from January 1, 2016.
In the state-run facilities, the immigrants will undergo various courses to help them integrate in Czech society.
After leaving the facility, their integration will be ensured directly in towns by the Caritas CR NGO. It would help them seek housing and jobs.
“The programme aims to facilitate the process of integration of the people who were granted international protection in the Czech Republic mainly regarding Czech language courses, the labour market entry, housing, children’s education and job retraining,” the ministry said in a press release.
According to it, foreigners’ integration will be the most effective if they spend an initial period in the ministry-operated integration centres to learn Czech, for example.
Afterwards, their integration would start directly in their towns of residence, which would be ensured by Caritas CR, as the general provider and coordinator of integration services, with the use of offers of jobs, retraining and housing coming from towns, citizens, churches and NGOs.
Earlier this year, the government decided that the Czech Republic will accept 1,500 refugees by the end of 2017. Out of them, 1,100 are to be accepted from Italy and Greece, which are overburdened with migrants, and 400 from Middle East refugee camps. All of them would have to be granted Czech asylum.
For the time being, three Syrian families with ill children, a total of 16 people, have arrived in Prague. Before, they underwent a security check and they will be granted asylum.
rtj/dr/kva
