Citizenship education (immigrants)

Citizenship education for new citizens is education intended to prepare noncitizens to become legally and socially accepted as citizens, and is carried out by a variety of governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO).

An integration programme is organised in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The programma is obliged in many cases and consists of an "integration course" (citizenship education) a basic level Dutch course, and career orientation. It is also possible to enroll in the programme in Brussels, without any obligation.

In the Netherlands the citizen education for new citizens is called "inburgeringsplicht" (see Integration law for new immigrants to the Netherlands). In many cases the foreigner is obliged to learn very basic Dutch and basic knowledge about Dutch society while still abroad and he or she must pass an exam abroad before receiving a visa for temporary residence. All this depends on certain criteria (especially what country the foreigner comes from).

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the [United States], government programs prepared immigrants to take citizenship exams or qualify for citizenship. Many corporations, most prominently Ford, offered similar programs to their employees and families of their employees. In addition, various charities also provided this service.

In the United Kingdom in 2002, David Blunkett introduced a series of proposals where immigrants would take a written "test" and participate in a ceremony before they could be granted British nationality. Before being given a passport, applicants read Life in the United Kingdom (a book providing information about the UK), prepare for and sit a 45-minute test on British society, history and culture.

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Wikipedia