Consequences of the Dutch Integration Policy: Literacy as Entrance Criterion

Abstract

This article describes how during the last decennia the Dutch integration policy changed from fairly foreigner-friendly into a policy that, in our view, seems designed to discourage low-educated people to immigrate to the Netherlands. According to the latest amendments in the language-related legislation, applicants not only must have acquired some spoken Dutch and knowledge of the Dutch society, but also reading ability in Dutch to get access and obtain a temporary residence permit. To test this reading ability, a new literacy test was developed and implemented. Since no courses are offered to prepare migrants for this entrance exam, the Dutch government provides a self-study toolkit. In this contribution, the new literacy test and the toolkit are described and analyzed to assess the appropriateness for true beginners. In our view, both do not take into account the double cognitive load involved in learning to read and write in a new language.