Stricter rules will apply to the German Language Test for Immigrants (DTZ) as part of the integration course starting November 1, 2026. The Federal Ministry of the Interior cites an increase in cheating on the tests as the reason for the stricter measures.
The test is the official final exam for the integration course in Germany. It assesses language proficiency at levels A2 and B1. The exam, which is a prerequisite for a settlement permit, consists of three parts: listening/reading, writing, and speaking. Under the new rules, participants must achieve at least level A2 in all three exam sections to receive an overall B1 result. At the same time, they must achieve level B1 in the oral portion of the exam. Good results in individual sections alone are therefore no longer sufficient.
Allegation: Results from the Internet
Previously, to achieve an overall B1 result, it was sufficient to demonstrate level B1 in the oral section and level B1 in at least one of the other two sections—“Listening and Reading” or “Writing.” This made it possible to compensate for weaker performance in one area with better results in another. According to the ministry, this was a gateway to cheating. Some test-takers had illegally purchased exam questions and ready-made answers online. This primarily affected the “Listening and Reading” section. In some cases, written assignments were turned in blank.
According to the ministry, the changes are intended to improve the exam’s validity and make it more difficult to gain an advantage through illegally obtained answers. The ministry did not provide figures on attempts at cheating. Among others, tuenews INTERNATIONAL reported on one specific case. For example, in 2024, the Stuttgart Regional Court convicted two brothers for selling more than 350 language certificates and certificates from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees to individuals seeking naturalization (tun24091001).
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For participants in integration courses, this means that in the future they will have to practice all language skills equally, rather than focusing their preparation primarily on those parts of the exam where they can more easily achieve the required scores. The new requirements could pose an additional challenge, particularly for people who understand the spoken language well but have difficulty writing or speaking. In the daily newspaper *Welt*, Green Party budget policy expert Leon Eckert criticized the fact that the new regulations now primarily affect honest people. For example, someone who has a good B1 level in speaking, listening, and reading could now slip just below A2 in the “writing” section due to weaknesses in writing.
Only 55 Percent Achieve B1
According to official figures, a total of 318,550 people took the German test for immigrants in 2025. 55 percent achieved the B1 level, 32.2 percent achieved the A2 level, and 12.8 percent scored below that.
Further information:
Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI): Legislative process to amend the Integration Course Test Regulation:
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/gesetzgebungsverfahren/DE/DGIII1/AEndVOIntTestV.html
Federal Ministry of Justice: Integration Course Test Regulation (IntTestV) – current text of the regulation:
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/inttestv/
German Bundestag: Response from the Federal Government with details on the results of the German test for immigrants from 2023 to 2025, Printed Paper 21/5716:
https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/057/2105716.pdf
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