Foreigners Must Learn German Or Be Expelled From Austria

DeutschePresse - no url yet | 3/4/02

[NativeNewYorker]

Vienna (dpa) - Immigrants from outside the E.U. will have to pass German courses within four years or else be expelled from Austria, the government said on Monday.

Foreigners arriving in the country would also have to show a health certificate.

Presenting a new ``integration contract'', the government said the foreigners would have to pay 50 per cent of the cost of the language courses themselves.

The other half would be paid out of public funds or by the foreigner's employer. |

The German courses would be mandatory for non-E.U. citizens who had arrived in Austria after January 1, 1998, said top government officials including Interior Minister Ernst Strasser.

The courses would be 100 hours at least, and the cost nearly 400 euros (345 dollars) per person. Taught would be not only the German language, but also ``basic organizational processes, and knowledge of the country and state''.

If the immigrant completed the course in 18 months, the residence permit would be extended for two years, if not, for one year.

Those failing after 18 months would be sanctioned. They would have to pay 75 per cent of the further courses themselves, and after two years, 100 per cent.

There would be an additional ``administrative fine'' of 100 euros after two years, and 200 euros after three.

If the immigrants had not started their course after three years, or completed it after four, they would lose their residence permits altogether.

The other new introduction was the health certificate. The government said that when submitted on entry to the country, it must not be more than 90 days old.

The exact content was still to be decided on. It would be orientated on ``a European catalogue''.

Presenting its new ``integration'' program, the government did not comply with frequent opposition demands that all foreigners who are allowed to live in Austria should automatically be allowed to work as well.

The new regulations also expanded the use of temporary ``seasonal'' workers.

These workers would no longer be limited to the traditional areas of tourism and agriculture, but could also be employed elsewhere.

A seasonal worker would get a work permit for six months, which could be extended for another six months.

But after that, at least two months must lapse before a further permit could be applied for.

Strasser said the new regulations would go into force on January 1 next year.

[ZULU]

Good for Austria. That's the way to go. We should officially declared English our national language and do the same thing here.

[goldstategop]

I think its a great idea. Let's apply it here and force foreigners (including the parents of illegal aliens) to pay the cost of a course required to learn to speak, read, and write English. If they fail to acquire knowledge of our language within five years of their date of entry into the United States, let's kick them out with the proviso they be banned for life from re-entering this country. Now that ought to drive the bi-lingual advocacy lobby NUTS!!!

[areafiftyone]

Why can't we do that in the United States? Have all foreigners should be forced to learn English. After all it would be for their benefit too. Do you know how frustrating it is in New York when you ask someone on the subway if its an express or local and they just look at you with a blank look and say "don't speak English" to you. You wonder how they can get around at all.

[Republic]

Good plan. Elevates the value of their nation, stresses keeping their culture, and educating those who wish to benefit from working or living in their country.

[Merovingian]

Taught would be not only the German language, but also ``basic organizational processes, and knowledge of the country and state''.

We could learn alot from the Austrians......Even if we instituted these regulations, it would already be a day late and a Euro short.......

[Texas Mom]

Now isn't that a novel idea? Who would have ever thought if such a thing. </sarcasm off>

[EggsAckley]

I seem to recall a year or so ago when Austria first talked about this, the world roared "Fascist" at them.
In our post-9/11 world, it will be interesting to see who objects now and why.

[AmishDude]

To be fair, you don't know if you're talking to immigrants or tourists. Try visiting a land where you don't know the language. It's pretty frustrating.

[Sabertooth]

Achtung, Baby.

[aristotleman]

Great idea. Even better: Let's also require that citizens be proficient in English by age 18. Highschool students' vocabulary seems limited to around 200 words.

[AmishDude]

Not as if anybody needs to be told, but *DISRUPTER ALERT*. Doing a "Find in Forum of Mr. Ramos is quite enlightening.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I guess this means that Austria no longer plans to re-constitute the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

[AmishDude]

I guess this means that Austria no longer plans to re-constitute the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

They can't. Don't you have to "just add water" to re-constitute? Both are landlocked. I am willing to start the Hapsburg line again. "Emperor AmishDude". It has a ring to it.

[muggs]

Try visiting a land where you don't know the language. It's pretty frustrating.

Yes it is, I was in San Diego, CA and couldn't even place a special order at McDonalds because I didn't know the language.

[RnMomof7]

No German as a second language classes for the kiddies huh?< No multi language signs huh? No multi language ballots huh?

Sounds like the Germans are going to protect their borders and heritage . Only they serious need apply....I wonder how the New World Order Folks will take that?

[AmishDude]

Good point. Although the name of the town should have given you a clue.

[NativeNewYorker]

Try visiting a land where you don't know the language. It's pretty frustrating.

I am far from well-travelled, but my long-ago trips to Hong Kong, Japan, Italy and France were fairly frustration-free.

Gestures, maps and a phrase or two got me whatever I needed.

On a different note, I just realized the following, scanning this thread: German is a notoriously difficult language to fathom. The Must Learn German Program *could* be a backdoor intelligence test.

[aruanan]

Foreigners Must Learn German Or Be Expelled From Austria

So, there are the same kind of idiots over there as over here. As Paul McCartney said, "People are the same wherever you go."