Australian citizenship test just became more tough

Australian citizenship test just became more tough Australia’s Federal Government has just started a new process when it comes to eligibility for citizenship in the country. In a released statement by the government on the 20^th of April, a sweeping redraft in the laws of Australian citizenship is on the way.
For Mr Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister of Australia, new arrivals are going need to embrace the nation’s values and show they are committed to becoming integrated into the society before they can become citizens.
”Membership of the Australian family is a privilege and should be afforded to those who support our values, respect our laws and want to work hard by integrating and contributing to an even better Australia,” Prime Minister Turnbull said.
More focus will be given to proficiency in the English language, which means that applicants would need to pass a ‘higher standard’ language test to be qualified for citizenship. They would also need to wait for an additional 2 years before they can retake in case they fail the test 3 times straight.
The Australian Values Statement which is found in visa and citizenship application forms is going to be strengthened and will now also come with reference to allegiance to Australia.
Applicants are also going to need to commit to a number of undertakings which will show how loyal they are to Australia. They would need to prove it by being a part of the community. Proof that an individual has successfully integrated him or herself into the community can extend to showing evidence they are employed, that eligible children are enrolled, and showing membership of community organisations, among others.
The government is clearly putting a higher premium when it comes to becoming responsible citizenship, or individuals who have something good to contribute to the national economy.
The present Australian citizenship test is going to be amended to make sure that citizenship will be granted to people who actually deserve it. New questions will soon be included on the test such as Australian values and privileges, and the responsibilities of being a citizen of Australia.
One of the things that will also be strengthened is the Pledge of Commitment in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Men and women will be asked to make the Pledge of Commitment for applications under all streams of citizenship. This includes citizenship by adoption, descent, and resumption.
However, there is ample time for applicants to meet these requirements. Right now, permanent residents of the country need to wait 4 years before they can lodge an application for citizenship, compared to the previous requirement of at least a year of being a permanent resident. While waiting, they can use this time to improve on their English-communication skills, learn more about Australia, look for a job, or do some volunteer work.
All legislation related to citizenship are going to be introduced to the Parliament by the end of 2017. All changes however, are going to be applied immediately to applicants which were received on or after the announcement was made by the government on 20^th of April, 2017.