Wet Inburgering 2021: What Changed and What It Means for You (A1–B2)

On 1 January 2022 the Dutch government replaced the old Civic Integration Act with the Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021). If your duty to integrate — your inburgeringsplicht — started on or after that date, you fall under the new law. The change is significant: municipalities now guide your entire integration process, the default language target has been raised from A2 to B1, and you are placed into a personalised learning route. Whether you end up aiming for A1, A2, B1, or B2, this article explains exactly what the 2021 law changed and how it affects you in practice.

Key Points

Here is a quick overview of the most important differences between the old and the new system:

Which Law Applies to You?

The dividing line is simple. Check the date on your official letter from DUO: if your inburgeringsplicht (duty to integrate) began before 1 January 2022, the Wet inburgering 2013 still applies — you need A2-level exams, you arrange your own school, and you deal with DUO directly. If the date is on or after 1 January 2022, the Wet inburgering 2021 applies and your municipality takes the lead.

Not sure? Log in to Mijn Inburgering (your personal DUO portal) — it shows exactly which law you fall under, which exams you must take, and your deadline.

The Municipality Takes the Lead

Under the old system, you were essentially on your own: find a language school, sign up, pass your A2 exams, and report the results. The 2021 law flips that model. Your municipality now invites you for a brede intake (broad intake) — a combination of a personal interview and the Leerbaarheidstoets (LBT), a short test that gauges your current abilities. Based on these results, the municipality determines which learning route fits your situation.

After the brede intake, your municipality draws up the persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie (PIP) together with you. This document lays out your assigned learning route, which exams you must pass, the level you must reach, and any additional obligations like the MAP or PVT. Once your PIP is established, DUO sends a letter confirming the official start date of your inburgeringstermijn (integration deadline). From that moment the three-year clock begins.

Three Learning Routes (A1–B2)

Instead of the one-size-fits-all A2 target from the old law, the Wet 2021 offers three distinct routes. Your PIP specifies which one you follow.

B1-route (Most Common)

The B1-route prepares you for paid work, volunteering, or further education. You take the four language exams at B1 level (Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I): Lezen (reading), Luisteren (listening), Schrijven (writing), and Spreken (speaking). You also do the KNM exam (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij). If you have taken at least 600 hours of language lessons and B1 proves genuinely too difficult, your municipality may let you downscale to A2 level.

Onderwijsroute (Education Route)

Aimed mainly at younger newcomers, the Onderwijsroute prepares you for a Dutch mbo, hbo, or university programme. You take the language exams at B1 or B2 level (Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I or II), plus the required kennisexamens (knowledge exams). Which level you target depends on your PIP.

Zelfredzaamheidsroute (Z-route)

The Z-route is reserved for people who genuinely cannot reach B1 or follow the education route. You learn Dutch at A1 level and focus on participating in Dutch society. You may take language and knowledge exams, but they are not mandatory. The Z-route ends with a closing conversation at your municipality. Instead of a diploma you receive certificates from the gemeente.

MAP Replaces ONA

The old Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (ONA) portfolio exam has been scrapped. In its place is the Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie (MAP) — a more practical, hands-on module managed entirely by your municipality. The MAP focuses on working and job-seeking in the Netherlands and consists of two parts: arbeidsmarkt (labour market) and participatie (participation). Your municipality will explain the details during the brede intake. Whether you need to complete MAP is stated in your PIP. The MAP is free of charge.

Costs and Financing

One of the biggest changes in the 2021 law is how integration is funded. The new rules differ depending on your migration status. For a full breakdown see our costs, loans, and fees guide.

Asielstatushouders (asylum status holders): your municipality pays your course fees. The first two attempts of each exam are free, provided you take them at the level specified in your PIP (a higher level is fine, a lower level is not). If you need more than two attempts, you pay for the extra ones yourself. You cannot borrow from DUO.

Gezinsmigranten and other migrants: you can choose to pay out of pocket or apply for a loan from DUO. DUO loans are only valid for courses at approved schools listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl. Under the 2013 law, asylum status holders could also borrow — that is no longer the case. Each exam component costs EUR 50 (as of 2026), with a total of EUR 250 for five exams (Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken, KNM). The MAP is free.

The participatieverklaringstraject (PVT) — the civic orientation programme where you learn about core Dutch values and sign the participation declaration — is free for everyone under the 2021 law. Under the old law, non-asylum migrants had to pay EUR 150.

The Three-Year Deadline and Fines

Both the old and the new law give you three years to complete your inburgering. Under the 2021 law the clock starts when DUO confirms your PIP, not when you first register at a municipality. Two months before your deadline DUO sends a warning letter. If you miss the deadline and have no grounds for extension, DUO can fine you up to EUR 1,000 for not completing your learning route, EUR 340 for an unfinished PVT, and EUR 340 for an unfinished MAP.

A fine does not end your obligation — you must still finish. After a fine you receive additional time (up to two years depending on how many exams you have already passed). In certain situations you can request an extension before the deadline: for example, if you needed an alfabetiseringscursus (literacy course), if you are following a Dutch education programme, or if your municipality was late arranging your course. See our guide on exemptions and special cases for details.

Old Law vs New Law: Side by Side

The table below summarises the main differences between the Wet inburgering 2013 and the Wet inburgering 2021.

Next Steps

Understanding which law applies to you is the first step. Here is what to do next:

Official Sources

The information in this article is based on the following official sources (as of February 2026):

Source: DUO / Inburgeren.nl, Rijksoverheid, Wet inburgering 2021 (February 2026)