Turnbull Government Announces Changes To Citizenship Process
Monday 24 April 2017 @ 12.18 p.m. | Immigration
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton have announced a number of changes to the Australian citizenship process. The changes include extending the length of time permanent residents must live in Australia before applying for citizenship from one year to four years, requiring applicants to pass an English test, adding questions on values to the citizenship test and requiring applicants to demonstrate that they have integrated into the Australian community.
A joint press release issued by Mr Turnbull and Mr Dutton said:
“Australia is an immigration nation. We are the most successful multicultural society in the world. More than 130,000 people from around 210 countries are invited to become Australian citizens each year. We welcome the contribution, opportunities and energy they bring to our community.
Membership of the Australian family is a privilege and should be granted to those who support our values, respect our laws and want to work hard by integrating and contributing to an even better Australia.”
Reforms
The media release states that the reforms will include:
- Requiring all applicants to pass a stand-alone English test, involving reading, writing, listening and speaking;
- Requiring applicants to have lived in Australia as a permanent resident for at least four years (instead of one year at present);
- Strengthening the citizenship test itself with new and more meaningful questions that assess an applicant's understanding of - and commitment to - our shared values and responsibilities;
- Requiring applicants to show the steps they have taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community. Examples would include evidence of employment, membership of community organisations and school enrolment for all eligible children.
- Limiting the number of times an applicant can fail the citizenship test to three (at present there is no limit to the number of times an applicant can fail the test);
- Introducing an automatic fail for applicants who cheat during the citizenship test.
The media release also notes that there will be exemptions to the English language proficiency test, such as for applicants under 16 years of age or for applicants with ‘permanent or enduring incapacity. It also says that “Any conduct that is inconsistent with Australian values will be considered as part of [the citizenship process], listing “violence against women and children, involvement in gangs or organised crime” as activities that would be considered inconsistent with Australian values.
According to ABC News, “[t]he Government has not decided exactly how it will assess "Australian values" in the citizenship test, saying it will consult with the public before it settles on the questions it will ask.” However, the Government has indicated that the test will “focus heavily on respect for women and children, with possible questions about child marriage, female genital mutilation and domestic violence.”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told ABC News that he had not been fully briefed on the proposed changes but said it was “reasonable to look for English language proficiency and… reasonable to have some period of time before you become an Australian citizen.”
Parliament resumes on 9 May 2017, when the Federal Budget is due to be released.
TimeBase is an independent, privately owned Australian legal publisher specialising in the online delivery of accurate, comprehensive and innovative legislation research tools including LawOne and unique Point-in-Time Products. Nothing on this website should be construed as legal advice and does not substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.
