Prepare the B1 examination and certificate
Plan the ÖIF Integration Examination at B1 level and keep the certificate ready for the application. The relevant status is the situation at the time the application is filed.
Integration Agreement Module 2: Evidence for EU long-term residence and exceptions
Module 2 of Austria's Integration Agreement for EU long-term residence: B1 evidence, recognised school and professional qualifications, and statutory exceptions.
5 September 2026
Renewal
Mag. Mirela Saric, Attorney at Law
For the EU long-term residence permit, Module 2 of Austria's Integration Agreement must already be fulfilled when the application is filed. The standard route is the Austrian Integration Fund examination at B1 level. Section 10(2) IntG also recognises several school, professional and academic forms of evidence.
The exact classification of the document is decisive. A German course, a simple course confirmation or an examination appointment does not replace the evidence required by law. For an educational qualification, the type and duration of education and the language of instruction must match the relevant statutory category.
Section 10(3) IntG provides exceptions for certain minors and for people who cannot reasonably be expected to fulfil Module 2 because of a permanently poor physical or mental health condition. These grounds require a specific assessment and, where applicable, an official medical opinion.
Evidence check
Which Module 2 route fits your situation?
This check sorts the B1 route, recognised educational evidence and statutory exceptions. You can send an enquiry with the selected context from every result.
Already know you want to get in touch? Go straight to the enquiry form.
How do you plan to prove Module 2?
All paths at a glance
Overview of all answers.
Compare school certificates with section 10(2) IntG
Match school attendance, school level, German grade and date of completion with the relevant evidence category. The documents must show that the statutory school and language requirement is met.
Assess professional or academic evidence
An apprenticeship final examination, a Facharbeiterprüfung or post-secondary education can prove Module 2 under section 10(2) IntG. Check the qualification, duration, language of instruction and, where relevant, 32 ECTS or 16 semester hours.
Assess the exception and supporting evidence
An exception applies only if the statutory requirements are met. A permanently poor health condition requires an official medical opinion. For minors, age in relation to compulsory schooling is decisive.
Module 2 as a condition for EU long-term residence
Section 10(1) IntG links Module 2 to the EU long-term residence permit. It must be fulfilled when the application is filed. Section 45 NAG also requires the other conditions for this permit, including the relevant settlement period and the general requirements for granting residence titles.
Module 2 is based on independent language use at B1 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The examination also covers advanced knowledge of the fundamental values of the legal and social order.
The article on periods and evidence for EU long-term residence explains the five-year route. This article focuses solely on the evidence that fulfils Module 2 and on possible exceptions.
The ÖIF B1 examination as the standard route
Section 10(2)(1) IntG refers to the Austrian Integration Fund certificate confirming successful completion of the Integration Examination at B1 level. The certificate is the central standard route for proving Module 2.
For the application, check the complete certificate and compare its personal details with the other documents. Differences in names, dates of birth or spelling can require additional explanations before the evidence can be assigned to the applicant.
Registration for an examination shows a plan for fulfilment, but it is not the certificate itself. The evidence must meet the statutory requirements and be available for clear presentation with the application.
School evidence under section 10(2) IntG
The law recognises several school-based routes. Minors may fulfil Module 2 through attendance at a primary school within compulsory schooling or through attendance at a secondary school with a positive result in German in the latest annual report or school report.
Another route is at least five years of compulsory schooling in Austria with a positive result in German. Section 10(2) IntG also refers to a positive German result at the level of the ninth school year or a positive assessment in the subject German, Communication and Society within the compulsory school leaving examination.
For minor applicants, age, school attendance and the certificate must fit together. A single positive grade without the required period of schooling or the relevant school level does not automatically answer the statutory evidence question.
Foreign secondary education in German
Section 10(2) IntG also recognises a positive result in German after at least four years of instruction in German at a foreign secondary school. The evidence therefore combines the duration of instruction, the type of school and the positive result.
Foreign school records need particularly clear documentation. The certificate or an additional school statement should identify the secondary school, the length of German instruction and the result with which the subject was completed.
Foreign-language documents may require a certified translation. Whether an apostille or another form of certification is also required depends on the applicable procedural rules and the document concerned.
Apprenticeship and Facharbeiterprüfung
Section 10(2) IntG lists the apprenticeship final examination under the Vocational Training Act as a separate form of evidence. It also covers the Facharbeiterprüfung under the provincial agricultural and forestry vocational training laws.
The specific final certificate matters. Participation in an apprenticeship, an ongoing training programme or confirmation of individual modules does not by itself show that the named final examination was passed. The authority must be able to identify the successful examination.
Keep the examination certificate and use the apprenticeship or training record as supporting material. For foreign professional qualifications, first clarify whether they fit one of the expressly listed evidence routes.
Post-secondary education and study results
Another route is two years of enrolment at a post-secondary institution in a programme taught in German. Section 10(2) IntG additionally requires study results of at least 32 ECTS credits or 16 semester hours, or an equivalent post-secondary graduation.
The documents should therefore prove the duration of enrolment, the language of instruction and the study result separately. A single German-language seminar or a short enrolment period does not by itself establish the statutory combination.
Foreign degrees require careful classification. Certificates, enrolment confirmations, transcripts of records and translations should create a clear link to the relevant evidence category.
Statutory exceptions from Module 2
Section 10(3) IntG exempts third-country nationals who are minors when the application is filed and who are not yet subject to compulsory schooling. In Austria, compulsory schooling begins on 1 September following the sixth birthday.
A second exception applies where fulfilling Module 2 cannot reasonably be expected because of a permanently poor physical or mental health condition. The condition must be proved by an official medical opinion.
An exception does not remove the need to assess the other requirements for EU long-term residence. Age, the start of compulsory schooling or medical unreasonableness must be documented in a way that can be followed in the individual procedure.
How the authority assesses the evidence
The authority checks whether the document can be assigned to a statutory category. For school records, the relevant question is therefore not simply whether the word German appears, but also which school, duration, language of instruction, school level and result are documented.
For Module 2, the authority may establish by decision that the Integration Agreement has not been fulfilled because the required knowledge is lacking, even though evidence was submitted. A document that exists in formal terms therefore does not resolve every substantive classification issue.
If further documents are requested, connect the response clearly to the relevant evidence category. A structured chronology makes it easier to assess school records, professional qualifications and residence documents together.
Documents for the Module 2 application
The Module 2 certificate or alternative educational evidence belongs in the personal application file. Supporting documents may include a passport copy, title chronology, school confirmations, study records and evidence of the language of instruction.
Foreign documents should be checked early for translation and certification requirements. A certified translation by a generally sworn and court-certified translator may be necessary. The authority may request additional documents in the individual case.
The Module 2 glossary entry provides a first orientation. The EU long-term residence checklist helps organise the wider application file.
Frequently asked questions about Module 2
Must Module 2 be fulfilled when the application is filed?
Yes. For the EU long-term residence permit, Module 2 must already be fulfilled at the time of filing under section 10(1) IntG. A planned examination date does not replace the evidence.
Is a B1 German course enough?
Course attendance alone is not a statutory form of evidence. The standard route is the certificate for successfully completing the ÖIF Integration Examination at B1. The school, professional and academic routes listed in section 10(2) IntG may also apply.
Which exceptions apply to Module 2?
The exceptions cover minor third-country nationals who are not yet subject to compulsory schooling and people for whom Module 2 is permanently unreasonable because of their physical or mental health. The health condition must be proved by an official medical opinion.
Can university studies replace the B1 certificate?
They can if the requirements of section 10(2) IntG are met. The law refers to two years of enrolment in a programme taught in German with at least 32 ECTS or 16 semester hours, or an equivalent post-secondary graduation.