After announcing stricter visa requirements for skilled migrant workers entering Australia, PM Malcolm Turnbull has also unveiled plans for stricter and tougher citizenship tests for those wishing to become permanent residents.
Amongst those requirements will be the ability to demonstrate good English language skills in tests for reading, writing, speaking and listening, demonstrating integration into the local community either by employment history, enrolment in local schools and community organisations, religious tolerance and gender equality. Perhaps most significantly, new applicants must have completed 4 years permanent residency – an increase of 3 years under the current system.
“It is important that they [migrants] understand that they are making a commitment to our Australian values,” Turnbull has said.
However, when prompted by a reporter to give a summary on the proposal, Turnbull seemed a little unclear;
After some further comments, he said: “Australians have an enormous reservoir of good sense, and we know that our values of mutual respect, democracy, freedom, rule of law, those values, a fair go – these they are fundamental Australian values.” Prompting both sarcastic and serious responses on Social Media under #AustralianValues.