Most immigrants fail integration exam, despite improvements

An increasing number of immigrants are passing their integration exams. Though more than half are still failing, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs wrote to parliament on Tuesday, the Volkskrant reports. According to Asscher, the pass rate for the integration exam increased from 32 percent in April to 49 percent in October. All immigrants who did not write their exams in the set time, without a good reason, were fined, the Minister writes. Immigrants to the Netherlands are given three years to write and pass their integration exams. If they fail to do so, they face a fine of up to 1,200 euros. Asscher writes that there are certain groups of immigrants that fall behind when it comes to integration. These include women from Somalia and Ethiopia. He will investigate how to improve this situation. The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, is concerned about the low pass rate of the integration exam. During a parliamentary debate in April, opposition parties accused Asscher of showing insufficient decisiveness in addressing integration problems.