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Further Information on the Examination

To ensure the implementation of the Conception of the Integration of Aliens, the System of Instruction of the Czech Language and Examinations for Foreigners as One of the Conditions for Granting Permanent Residence inthe CR has been approved by the Government.

The System specifies the conditions of the examination, namely both for the applicant and the examiner. Further, it provides the list of the institutions where an alien can take the examination and specifies the characteristics of a language course in which he/she can prepare for the examination.

The System also provides information on recognising already attained language education, on the information system for aliens and on the Methodology of Preparation for the Examination in the Czech Language for Permanent Residence Applicants (Level A1).

The examination itself consists of two parts, written and oral. Details on its organisation and conditions for test takers as well as examiners are provided in the Rules and in the Instructions for the Applicants, in the Instructions for the Written Part and in the Instructions for the Oral Part.

Sample parts of the exam, which are in an interactive version, are possible to try in the Sample Examination.

System of Instruction of the Czech Language and Examinations for Foreigners as One of the Conditions for Granting Permanent Residence (Amended Version)

As part of ensuring the implementation of the Conception of the Integration of Aliens, or the first point of the targeted specific measures (Knowledge of the Czech Language) stated in the Attachment to Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No. 126 of 8th February 2006 on the Conception of the Integration of Aliens in 2005, andin fulfilling Point III of the Resolution of the Government No. 126 of 21st February 2007 on the Report of Implementation of the Conception of the Integration of Aliens in 2006, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT) presented the System of Instruction of the Czech Language and Examinations for Foreigners as One of the Conditions for Granting Permanent Residence (hereinafter only as the System).

1. List of Schools

The basic element of the System is a network of language schools authorised to administer state language examinations (hereinafter only as the language school) which will fulfil the conditions for providing examinations in the Czech language for applicants for permanent residence. This network is complemented by workplaces of universities included in the list of schools (hereinafter only as the List), which will be issued by MŠMT in a decree in compliance with Section 182a, Subsection 2b) of Act No. 326/1999 Coll., On the Residence of Aliens on the Territory of the Czech Republic and on Amendments to Certain Acts, as subsequently amended.

A prerequisite for the inclusion of a school in the List will be its unilateral declaration through which it will undertake to observe the Rules of the administration of the examination. MŠMT can also set a minimal total number of examinations with sufficient capacity the implementation of which the school is obliged to provide should there be interest on the part of aliens. When including a school in the List, MŠMT will further take into consideration the degree of professional qualification and the personnel and material resources of their activities. The school may be excluded from the List upon its own request or if MŠMT discovers that the school does not observe the obligation to follow the rules of the examination. MŠMT reserves the right to amend these rules and request a declaration from the school included in the List through which it will undertake to observe the amended rules. Not providing this declaration within 30 days after the amendment of the rules comes into effect will be a reason for excluding the school from the List.

The network of language schools covers the entire territory of the Czech Republic. Every region has at least one school that has both the personnel and material resources to begin examinations as of the required date, namely 1st September 2008.

To increase the capacity of language schools in the Capital City of Prague and several other selected regions, an additional 11 workplaces of six universities have been included in the List, namely on the basis of a recommendation from the Czech Conference of Rectors. The included universities have many years of experience with the instruction of the Czech language for foreigners and excellent professional and material background.

As of 1st September 2008, MŠMT will continuously assess the conformity of the territorial and capacity potential of the schools included in the List with the needs of aliens in terms of instruction and examinations in the Czech language and should the need arise will take the necessary steps for the mentioned network to be complemented operatively by further language schools or universities which will express an interest in participating in the System and which can responsibly and on a quality level provide the required services and will guarantee the observance of the methodology of the examination.

The related systemic measures of a more long-term character will then be specified in the material to be discussed by the meeting of the Government Evaluation of the Implementation of the System in 2009 along with proposals for the necessary amendments of the system andthe financial requirements for its implementation in 2010, whose presenter will be the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports.

2. Characteristics of a Language Course

Having completed the language course, the alien should be prepared for the examination on the Level A1 according to the Common European Framework Reference for Languages - CEFRL. The course however is not a condition for taking the examination itself. It aims to guide the pupil (alien) towards mastering the basics of the Czech language. Education in the language course can take place in attendance and distance forms with the possibility of pre-testing.

The pupil (alien) will be guided especially towards:

- observing and mastering the basic rules of communication in the Czech language environment;

- understanding sentences and frequently used phrases related to areas in which he/she is involved (family, employment);

- communicating during the performance of simple and everyday tasks which require a simple and direct exchange of information on known and common matters;

- being able to develop his/her language and communication awareness;

- taking opportunities to learn the Czech language effectively.

After a minimum of 105-140 hours of instruction, the pupil should acquire knowledge corresponding to the Level A1 according to the CERFL.

Various textbooks and further materials suitable for the instruction of the Czech language for foreigners and for preparation for the examination are available to applicants for the examination, lecturers of language school as well all parties interested in information on the preparation for the examination in Czech for foreigners on the Level A1.

3. Examination

An examination on the Level A1 of the CEFRL has been prepared jointly with the Research Institute of Education in Prague, the Language School Authorised to Administer State Language Examinations of the Capital City of Prague and external specialists dealing with the language education of foreigners in the long term. The examination was approved by MŠMT, which also set the binding rules that will apply for the administration of the examination.

The costs for the exam are covered from the state budget, namely for every alien only once because of the general obligation to handle financial resources of the state budget economically and effectively. For setting the legal barriers to repeatedly subsidising an examination for the same alien, the following solution is proposed:

Such an alien will have the possibility to take the examination free of charge who will present the language school with a document (hereinafter only as the voucher) issued for this purpose by the Ministry of the Interior (MV). The Ministry of the Interior will issue the voucher to the alien on the basis of his/her declaration of his/her intent to apply for permanent residence.

The certificate proving the required knowledge of the Czech language will be an attachment to the application for a permanent residence permit. However, the failure to provide this document together with the application would be a reason to deny the request of the applicant only if the alien has already obtained a voucher from the MV prior to submitting the application. If the alien has not obtained a voucher before submission of the request and if he/she is not yet able to prove his/her language knowledge, MV will issue him/her a voucher without undue delay and set a deadline for providing a document proving his/her knowledge of the Czech language.

What is important is that utilising the possibility to take the examination in the Czech language free of charge on the basis of a voucher is not decisive in terms of the proceedings for a permanent residence permit. Thus if the alien encloses a document on the required knowledge of the Czech language to his application for a permanent residence permit, the question of issuing a voucher is unnecessary.

On the part of the language school, it will not be necessary to determine whether the alien has already taken the examination at no charge or not. From the school's perspective, two situations may occur:

- The alien applies to take the examination and tenders a voucher > The examination is provided free of charge;

- The alien applies to take the examination without a voucher > The examination is provided for a fee.

In the first case, it will be stated in the rules for the administration of the examination that the tendered voucher will become part of the documentation of the school along with the protocol for the examination. This will ensure that the voucher will be taken from the alien upon his/her first attempt at taking the examination.

The vouchers will serve also as evidence of the provision of financial means from the state budget, with the assumption being that financial means will be provided by the MV to the schools subsequently, on the basis of data on the number of examinations taken for free in the period in question. The vouchers and the protocols kept in the documentation of the school will be necessary evidence of the correctness of the data provided in the request for reimbursement for the examination in the case of an inspection.

The detailed rules for granting subsidies to the schools providing exams for free will be set by MV on the basis of Point II/2a) of the presented resolution of the Government.

Having passed the examination successfully, the pupil (alien) will obtain a Certificate ofhaving passed the examination in the Czech language corresponding to the Level A1 according to the CEFRL for the purposes of a permit for permanent residence on the territory of the CR.

4. Recognising Already Attained Language Education

The examination in the Czech language does not have to be taken by an alien designated in Section 70, Subsection 5 of Act No. 326/1999 Coll.

In the future, it will be possible to recognise an alien's knowledge of the Czech language also on the basis of a document on having taken another examination in the Czech language at least on the Level A1 according to the CERFL. A prerequisite for the acceptability of other examinations (certificates) for the purpose of acquiring permanent residence is however the existence of an organ that would register, guarantee and verify certified examinations in the Czech language. With respect to the practices in the countries of the European Union and the fact that a certification of an official language is concerned, such an institute should be established by the state. MŠMT is therefore preparing the founding of an institute for the certification of examinations in the Czech language. In connection with the foundation of this certification authority, it might be necessary to extend the List also by other entities that will offer examinations on the required level according to internationally recognised standards.

Until MŠMT establishes such an institute and unifies its certification activities with the System, it will not be possible for MV to recognise any other language examinations for the purposes of being granted permanent residence.

5. Information System for Aliens

The creation of an information system for permanent residence applicants which would inform the aliens on the current possibilities of Czech language instruction for the needs of passing the examination and obtaining a Certificate will be a result of the joint effort of MŠMT, MV and MPSV.

MŠMT in conjunction with language schools and the Research Institute for Education in Prague guarantees the activity of a web information system, which will provide current information on the examination in the Czech language for the purpose of being granted permanent residence and on the possibilities of taking it at language schools in the individual regions by 30th June 2008.

A component of the information system is also the operation of a toll-free telephone line for aliens who are interested in the examination and for other interested parties and institutions.

The information system of MŠMT is interconnected by means of links with the information systems of the MV, MPSV and MZV focused on the needs of aliens living in the CR long term.

6. Methodology of the Instruction and Examination in the Czech Language for Foreigners

With the aim of supporting quality instruction of the Czech language for applicants for permanent residence, MŠMT jointly with the Research Institute of Education in Prague and with external specialists form language schools and further institutions dealing with the instruction of the Czech language for foreigners will develop the methodology of the instruction of the Czech language for foreigners. The methodology of instruction will be available to all potential educators through free download at the web information system of MŠMT no later than the beginning of the academic year 2008/09.

The costs for creating the methodology will be covered from the financial resources intended for fulfilling the tasks of MŠMT in implementing the System in 2008 and 2009 according to Point I/2a) of the presented resolution of the Government.