Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A citizenship ceremony in Melbourne earlier this year

Australia will make it more difficult to gain citizenship in a major overhaul of its migration process.

Aspiring citizens will undergo tougher tests on their English language skills and ability to demonstrate "Australian values", PM Malcolm Turnbull said.

Applicants must also have completed four years as a permanent resident - three years longer than at present.

The new process will require parliamentary approval before it is implemented.

The move comes two days after Australia unveiled stricter visa requirements for skilled workers from overseas.

Mr Turnbull said the changes would ensure that migrants were better integrated into the community.

"It is important that they understand that they are making a commitment to our Australian values," he said.

What are the changes?

In explaining what constituted "Australian values", Mr Turnbull said migrants must demonstrate support for religious freedom and gender equality.

"Respect for women and children ... that is a key Australian value," he said, adding domestic violence would not be tolerated.

Other changes to the citizenship process include:

A more stringent English language test involving reading, writing, listening and speaking;

Providing evidence of integration into the community, such as employment history, school enrolment or membership of community organisations;

Having already been a permanent resident for at least four years;

Allowing applicants to apply only three times, and automatically failing anyone who cheats on a test.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton

When asked about reports that applicants would be quizzed on whether they supported forced child marriage or female genital mutilation, Mr Turnbull said it was important to "reinforce our values".

"If we believe that respect for women and children [is an Australian value]... then why should that not be made a key part, a fundamental part, a very prominent part, of our process to be an Australian citizen?"

Tightening rules

The requirements would apply to all new applications for citizenship, the government said.

On Tuesday, the government said it would replace a controversial visa scheme to make it harder for foreign nationals to work in Australia.

Mr Turnbull said both announcements had been made in the national interest.

The opposition Labor Party accused Mr Turnbull of making announcements for political gain.

"It seems a little odd to me that you would actually ask people whether or not they are going to obey the law when they already pledge to obey the law," said Labor senator Penny Wong.</s>Australia plans to raise the bar for handing out citizenships by lengthening the waiting period, adding a new “Australian values” test and raising the standard for English language as part of a shake up of its immigration programme.

The move comes in a week when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced axing a temporary work visa popular with foreigners and replacing it with a tougher programme in a bid to put “Australia First.”

Australia has seen the rise of nationalist, anti-immigration politics with far-right wing parties such as One Nation garnering strong public support, while the popularity of Turnbull’s ruling centre-right government has been languishing.

The new citizenship requirements are expected to be passed by parliament with the backing of right-wing Senators.

On Thursday, Turnbull said basic English would no longer be sufficient to become an Australian citizen under the new test.

READ MORE: Majority of Canadians want a ‘Canadian values’ screening test for immigrants: poll

Applicants need a minimum level 6.0 equivalent of the International English Language Testing System, and a person will only become eligible for citizenship after four years as a permanent resident, up from one year.

“What we are doing is strengthening our multicultural society and strengthening our values,” Turnbull told reporters in Canberra. “Australian citizenship should be honoured, cherished. It’s a privilege.”

“I reckon if we went out today and said to Australians, “Do you think you could become an Australian citizen without being able to speak English?” They’d say, “You’re kidding. Surely you’d have to be able to speak English.”

Turnbull said the current immigration process was mainly “administrative” while the citizenship test is largely a “civics test.”

The current citizenship multiple-choice questionnaire tests a person’s knowledge of Australian laws, national symbols and colours of the Aboriginal flag. But Turnbull said it was not adequate to judge whether a person would accept “Australian values.”

“If we believe that respect for women and children and saying no to violence…is an Australian value, and it is, then why should that not be made a key part, a fundamental part, a very prominent part, of our process to be an Australian citizen? Why should the test simply be a checklist of civic questions?”

READ MORE: Kellie Leitch firm on screening immigrants for ‘Canadian values’ in wake of Quebec shooting

The new citizenship test will include questions about whether applicants have sent their kids to school, whether they go to work – if they are of working age – and whether becoming part of unruly gangs in cities were Australian values.

“We’re standing up for Australian values and the parliament should do so too,” Turnbull said.</s>"Australian values" are what the government says are at the heart of changes to citizenship requirements.

As part of a major shake up of the system, the citizenship test will be changed to embody the largely yet to be determined set of values.

Permanent residents will also have to wait longer to apply and stricter English language requirements will come into force.</s>CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia plans to tighten its citizenship rules to require higher English language skills, longer residency and evidence of integration such as a job, officials said Thursday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the new citizenship test would reflect Australian values instead of the current multiple-choice format.

“This will be good for the applicants, good for the nation, underlining our Australian values at the very heart of Australian citizenship,” Turnbull told reporters.

“This is not about administration. This is about allegiance and commitment to Australian values,” he added.

Budding Australian citizens would have to be competent English language speakers and have been permanent residents for at least four years. Currently a permanent resident can become a citizen after one year.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said there would be greater police checks on citizenship applicants and perpetrators of domestic violence should be disqualified.

Applicants would have to show the steps they had taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community. Examples would include evidence of employment, membership of community organizations and school enrolment for all eligible children, a government statement said.

The public will be able to make submissions until June on how Australian values might be tested. Then the proposals must be approved in Parliament.

Activist group GetUp accused the conservative government of adopting the policies of the anti-Muslim minor political party One Nation through the new test.

“It accuses all immigrants … of not adhering with some confected notion of Australian values,” GetUp human rights director Shen Narayanasamy said in a statement.

“The announcement implicitly accuses people who want to live in Australia of being more likely to abuse their wife, not learn English, and engage in crime. It’s deeply offensive to generations of people who have built their lives here,” she added.

Australia has long had high rates of immigration, with one in four Australians either born overseas or with at least one parent born in another country.</s>What are Australian values, and who decides what they are?

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced changes to the citizenship test on Thursday, involving a stronger focus on values and the English language.</s>Becoming an Australian citizen is about to get tougher as the country plans a major shake-up of its immigration process — including a new test of "values."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday announced rules that require migrants to have lived permanently in Australia for four years — up from one year — before they can apply to become a citizen.

He also pledged to raise the standard of English required for citizenship and said the current citizenship exam was a "civics test" that failed to judge whether a person would accept "Australian values."

Australia's immigration system is already notoriously stringent and has been cited as a model by President Donald Trump. In recent years the country has seen the rise of nationalist, anti-immigration politics with far-right wing parties such as One Nation attracting public support.

Applicants for Australian citizenship are currently tested on their knowledge of law and national symbols such as the colors of the Aboriginal flag. But the new test will include questions that assess how migrants have assimilated, such as whether they send their children to school or if they have a job.

"If we believe that respect for women and children and saying no to violence...is an Australian value, and it is, then why should that not be made a key part ... of our process to be an Australian citizen?" Turnbull said in Canberra. "Why should the test simply be a checklist of civic questions?"

Under Turnbull's new plans, basic English will no longer be enough and applicants will have to show they have at least the equivalent of 6.0 in the International English Language Testing System.

"I reckon if we went out today and said to Australians 'Do you think you could become an Australian citizen without being able to speak English?' they would say 'You're kidding'," Turnbull said.

It comes two days after he unveiled stricter visa requirements for foreign skilled workers in a bid to put "Australia first."

"What we are doing is strengthening our multicultural society and strengthening our values," he said Thursday. "Australian citizenship should be honored, cherished. It's a privilege."

His plans are expected to be passed by parliament with the backing of right-wing lawmakers. "We're standing up for Australian values and the parliament should do so too," Turnbull said.</s>CANBERRA, Australia -- Australia plans to tighten its citizenship rules to require higher English language skills, longer residency and evidence of integration such as a job, officials said Thursday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the new citizenship test would reflect Australian values instead of the current multiple-choice format.

"This will be good for the applicants, good for the nation, underlining our Australian values at the very heart of Australian citizenship," Turnbull told reporters.

"This is not about administration. This is about allegiance and commitment to Australian values," he added.

Budding Australian citizens would have to be competent English language speakers and have been permanent residents for at least four years. Currently a permanent resident can become a citizen after one year.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said there would be greater police checks on citizenship applicants and perpetrators of domestic violence should be disqualified.

Applicants would have to show the steps they had taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community. Examples would include evidence of employment, membership of community organizations and school enrolment for all eligible children, a government statement said.

The public will be able to make submissions until June on how Australian values might be tested. Then the proposals must be approved in Parliament.

Activist group GetUp accused the conservative government of adopting the policies of the anti-Muslim minor political party One Nation through the new test.

"It accuses all immigrants ... of not adhering with some confected notion of Australian values," GetUp human rights director Shen Narayanasamy said in a statement.

"The announcement implicitly accuses people who want to live in Australia of being more likely to abuse their wife, not learn English, and engage in crime. It's deeply offensive to generations of people who have built their lives here," she added.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten said his centre-left Labor Party would consider supporting the changes in the Senate where the government does not hold a majority of seats.

"I think it is reasonable to look for English proficiency and I think it's reasonable to have some period of waiting time before you become an Australian citizen," Shorten said.

But Shorten said Turnbull had been forced by the most conservative elements of his government to propose the changes.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, said Turnbull was "finally acting on the suggestions I made to him about the citizenship test."

Australia has long had high rates of immigration, with one in four Australians either born overseas or with at least one parent born in another country.</s>CANBERRA, Australia - Australia plans to tighten its citizenship rules to require higher English language skills, longer residency and evidence of integration such as a job, officials said Thursday. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the new citizenship test would reflect Australian values instead of the current multiple-choice format.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Washington Post.</s>The federal government today announced three broad changes to the criteria for Australian citizenship. These are:
• None a new process for determining an applicant’s integration into the community; and
• None changes to the citizenship test.

Citizenship is an important mechanism to foster integration and make people feel fully connected and committed to Australia. There is a risk, however, that if citizenship is too hard to attain, a two-tier system of permanent residency will develop in Australia: those who are full citizens, and those who failed to become citizens – though they are permanent residents.

The proposed residence requirement is stricter than what exists now.

Currently, applicants for citizenship need to be resident in Australia for four years, but they only need to be a permanent resident for one year. Under the proposed change, applicants need to have been permanent residents for four years.

This change will affect those who entered Australia on temporary work or humanitarian visas. These people will no longer be able to count their time as temporary residents toward the residence requirement for citizenship.

The proposed change has the potential to inflict particular harm on refugees. Many are now only granted temporary protection visas. For them, citizenship is an important sign of their permanent acceptance and commitment to Australia.

A second change is new English-language testing. Potential citizens will have to show in their written application that they have integrated through participation in work, community activities and schooling for children.

These changes are potentially positive. A cohesive multicultural society like Australia requires a core level of integration among its members. It is reasonable to expect people choosing to make a life here to participate in the community.

Most applicants for citizenship, including refugees, will welcome the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to Australia. There is a danger, however, of creating an unnecessary administrative burden both for applicants and for the Department of Immigration by adding a significant section to the written application.

In Australia, the ability to communicate in English is clearly important to achieving integration. Under the current application process, the citizenship test is a grossly inadequate proxy for measuring English-language ability. A multiple-choice test with complicated concepts about Australia’s institutions of government does not test “basic” English-language skills.

There are three proposed changes to the citizenship test.
• None The new test will contain more meaningful questions that assess an applicant’s understanding of, and commitment to, shared values and responsibilities.
• None A person will be able to sit the test a maximum of three times.
• None Cheating on the test will lead to automatic failure: the implication seems to be it will not be possible to ever sit the test again.

The US, the UK and Canada all have citizenship tests. All test different things – history, values, institutions and symbols. New Zealand does not have a citizenship test.

Since its introduction in 2007, the Australian citizenship test has been a controversial part of application process. It has served several not-very-well-defined functions.

It is hard to conceive how a multiple-choice test can possibly test a person’s “understanding of and commitment to” shared values. The test of a person’s values is in their actions, not their knowledge of values. The new requirement that an applicant must demonstrate their integration into the community is a far better test of values.

Those who fail the test do so because their English-language skills are not adequate to understand the question – and not, for example, because they were unaware that domestic violence is forbidden.

The role of English-language ability in failure rates is evident in Department of Immigration statistics on the citizenship test. In 2014-15, the failure rate among Chinese applicants was more than seven times higher than it was among Indian applicants. Among Vietnamese applicants it was 17 times higher. This is almost certainly related to the higher level of English competency among Indian applicants.

Given the test’s inadequacy, and its strong bias toward those with a higher level of English, the proposal that an applicant can no longer apply for citizenship after a third failure is most concerning.

We will have to wait for the full details, but it is hard to imagine that the government really intends to exclude from citizenship forever a permanent resident of long standing and good repute, and whose life is intrinsically connected to Australia, simply because they failed a flawed test of their values due to their poor English-language skills at the time they were tested.

The three strikes provision will have a disproportionate effect on refugees applying for citizenship. The 2014-15 statistics reveal that, in the skilled stream, on average people needed to sit 1.1 tests to pass. In the family stream it was 1.4 tests. And, in the humanitarian stream, it was 2.4 tests. This means there is a significant number of humanitarian migrants requiring more than three attempts to pass the test.

One possible implication of the limitation on attempts at the test is that humanitarian migrants will delay applying for citizenship. This has negative consequences for their wellbeing and their integration into the community.

Refugees are known to be particularly loyal to Australia. Once they have been accepted they rarely return to their country of origin.

As a result of adding a standalone English-language test, and a requirement that applicants demonstrate how they have integrated into the community, there is a strong case for eliminating the citizenship test altogether.

What is the role of citizenship?

Australia already assesses who to allow in – and to whom to grant residency – before any issue of citizenship arises.

Permanent residents in Australia enjoy almost the full range of civil and political rights as citizens. They have access to the welfare system (after initial waiting periods), Medicare, and education. Citizens alone are able to vote, and they have a greater security of residence.

Citizenship is the last step on the path to full membership. By the time someone is applying for citizenship, they have already been in Australia for a minimum of four years, and have made a life here.

We should be encouraging permanent residents to take up citizenship and to commit fully to Australia. Citizenship, in this sense, is a positive mechanism for inclusion. The government’s focus on citizenship as a mechanism for exclusion in its rhetoric and some of the proposed changes is, therefore, counterproductive.</s>Australia plans to tighten its citizenship rules to require higher English language skills, longer residency and evidence of integration such as a job.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday the new citizenship test will reflect Australian values instead of the current multiple-choice format.

Budding Australian citizens will have to be competent English-language speakers and have been permanent residents for at least four years. Currently a permanent resident can become a citizen after one year.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says there will be greater police checks on citizenship applicants and perpetrators of domestic violence should be disqualified.

Applicants would have to show the steps they had taken to integrate into and contribute to the Australian community.
Australia adds stricter requirements to its citizenship application process, including harder tests on English language skills and the requirement that a migrant be able to demonstrate "Australian values".