The possibilities for the social integration of migrants rest on general social context and policies aimed at integrating all alongside specific migration and integration policy. At the transnational and national level, the latter emphasises the interrelated labour market integration of migrants and language proficiency. Integration measures aimed at language learning are not only a right but also an obligation for so-called third-country nationals in an increasing number of European countries. The qualitative case study presented in this Master’s Thesis is focused on the language requirement specific to Slovenia, which is situated at the intersection of social policy, labour market and employment policy, and integration policy: third-country nationals must, in accordance with Article 8a of the Labour Market Regulation Act, pass a breakthrough level Slovenian language exam (A1) within twelve months of being registered with the Employment Service of Slovenia’s Register of the Unemployed. The case study focuses on the consequences of such a requirement for the integration of a "minority" group in the Slovenian context of migration, i.e., speakers of languages very distant from the Slovenian language. Based on an analysis of documents and interviews with speakers of languages very distant from the Slovenian language, teachers of the Slovenian language at the courses of the Employment Service and testers at the exam, the thesis uncovers the challenges of courses and other forms of exam preparation. These are mainly manifested in the lack of adaptation to vulnerable individuals (including those with a more distant linguistic background) and can lead to various challenges in taking a highly standardised exam. The thesis problematises identified challenges in light of the interconnected linguistic and socioeconomic consequences of (not) fulfilling the language requirement. Taking into account the characteristics of the segmented labour market and the Slovenian welfare state as well as the experiences of interviewees, the thesis demonstrates that passing the breakthrough level Slovenian language exam is not an »(automatic) ticket« to the labour market, and also how formal restrictions on access to social welfare measures can force some migrants into a particularly vulnerable position with limited opportunities for further learning of Slovenian language.
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