Free Call (Within Australia) 1800 449 858
[email protected]
Interstaff MigrationInterstaff MigrationInterstaff MigrationInterstaff Migration
Menu
  • Home
  • About
      • About Us
      • Why Interstaff?
      • Company History
      • Staff Profiles
      • Visa Agents
      • Immigration Agents
      • Visa Refusals and Appeals
    • Close
  • Businesses
      • Sponsorship
      • Temporary Work Visas
      • Permanent Work Visas
      • Complex Migration Issues
      • DAMA – Designated Area Migration Agreements
      • Supported Industry Sectors
    • Close
  • Individuals
      • Visa Extensions
      • Skilled Work Visas
      • Working Holiday Visas
      • Family & Partner Visas
      • Student Visas
      • Visitor Visas
      • Medical Treatment Visas
      • Complex Migration Issues
      • Visa Refusals and Appeals
      • Case Studies
    • Close
  • News and Info
      • Immigration News
      • Case Studies
      • Why Use a Migration Agent?
      • Visa Extensions
      • Australian Migration Services
    • Close
  • Contact Us
NextPrevious
Man standing across from building

Citizenship laws have now come before parliament

Immigration News | 14 June, 2017 |

The Federal Parliament will now consider the Prime Minister’s proposed changes to Australian citizenship requirements which were announced on 20th April this year. Since the announcement, the citizenship changes have been a controversial topic in the media.

According to SBS News, there are concerns that one of the laws brought before Parliament will grant the Immigration Minister the power to overrule decisions by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) regarding the Department of Immigration’s citizenship refusals. Currently the Immigration Minister already has the power to override the AAT’s decisions related to visas but not in relation to citizenship.

The concerns are that the Immigration Minister will have irrefutable powers to determine who is given the rights to citizenship, similar to concerns earlier in the year when the Australian Government considered a bill which would allow the Immigration Minister to require certain groups of foreign nationals to revalidate their visa if deemed to be in the public’s interest. Read our post on this here.

In addition to this, the new citizenship laws could also enforce a more stringent English language test. Citizenship applicants currently need to meet a ‘basic’ level of English language skills, however if the new laws are passed, applicants will need to demonstrate an English level of at least ‘competent’.

Pino Migliorino from the Federation of Ethic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is opposed to the introduction of a stringent language test saying, “I know thousands and literally thousands of older Australians now who don’t speak English well who’ve made an enormous contribution.” Another issue to consider is the fact that skilled migrants already undertake English language tests as part of their skilled visa application, meaning they will be required to prove their English proficiency twice if applying for citizenship. This can become a costly exercise for the applicant.

There has also been a lot of news about changes to the citizenship test to determine how well applicants have integrated into society. If the new laws are passed, the new citizenship test questions will assess the applicant’s views on democracy, social freedoms and equality.

Applicants will also only be eligible for citizenship if they have lived in Australia as a permanent resident for 4 years (instead of one year) and their willingness to integrate into Australian society will be assessed closely during this period of time – for example, by making tax payments, by being willing to work or become educated, by contributing to community or voluntary organisations and by abiding by social security laws.

We will keep you updated on the whether the citizenship changes are passed by Federal parliament. To read more about the proposed citizenship changes, read our post here. Or to find out if you are eligible for Australian citizenship, we encourage you to contact Interstaff’s registered migration agents on [email protected] or +61 8 9221 3388 (or National Free Call 1800 449 858) for an assessment.

Source:

SBS News

Interstaff

No tags.

Related Post

  • Interstaff workers within the migration agency HQ in perth

    Support for women seeking to migrate

    Today women around the world are celebrating International Women’s Day. It’s a day where the world recognises improvements in women’s rights, while also acknowledging that unfortunately in many parts of the world, there are still many women experiencing violence or inequality. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection recognises… Read More »

  • 2016 Migration Professional Seminar poster countdown

    See Us at the Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar

    Interstaff International are proud to be Perth’s official migration agency sponsoring the Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar held at Kim Beazley Theatre, Murdoch University on Friday 18 March from 5pm to 8.30pm. The Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar is designed to provide networking opportunities between skilled migrants and employers, recruitment agencies, career… Read More »

  • Celebrating Australia’s Irish Past

    Did you know up to one third of Australians are of Irish heritage? Irish settlement played a formative part in Australia’s social, political and cultural background. At Interstaff, several of our team members are of Irish descent, including our Managing Director, Sheila Woods and Registered Migration Agent, Elain Flynn. On… Read More »

  • Exploitation problem facing Australian immigration authorities

    Australia has a large number of undocumented workers – some estimates suggest that the number may exceed 100,000 people. Add to this the massive international student population and temporary work visa holders and you have a big problem. Sadly this leads to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. These sentiments were published… Read More »

  • IT Professionals in High Demand in Australia

    More than 85 percent of new jobs for information and computer technology (ICT) were occupied by international workers for the year 2015, according to a report made by the Australian Computer Society. It is stated in the report that hiring overseas workers is now made a top priority in order to… Read More »

  • Visa-free ‘migration bloc’ supported by most Australia, Canada, NZ, & UK citizens

    Nearly 4,000 individuals from these 4 Commonwealth countries — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – have taken part in a survey and the results show that most of them strongly agree to have a Union-style system (that is similar to Europe) which would enable free movement among… Read More »

  • Interstaff stall at the 2016 Skilled Migrants Professionals Seminar

    Networking is Key for Skilled Migrants

    Over 150 people attended the Skilled Migrants Professionals Seminar on Friday 18 March at Murdoch University to access valuable networking opportunities designed to help skilled migrants compete in the Australian job market. Interstaff Visa Coordinator, Allieu Sesay said, “Seminars like the Skilled Migrant Professionals Seminar are great because they provide… Read More »

  • Woman holding her mobile phone and coffee cup with Interstaff International logo

    Exclusive offer for our Facebook fans

    Interstaff International are offering 30% off their Initial Consultation Fee to its Facebook fans for a limited time only. Simply access our digital coupon and then follow the prompts to share our offer on Facebook in order to redeem 30% off your Initial Consultation Fee. We will then validate your coupon at… Read More »

NextPrevious

Get In Touch

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Why Interstaff?
    • Company History
    • Staff Profiles
    • Visa Agents
    • Immigration Agents
    • Visa Refusals and Appeals
  • Businesses
    • Sponsorship
    • Temporary Work Visas
    • Permanent Work Visas
    • Complex Migration Issues
    • DAMA – Designated Area Migration Agreements
    • Supported Industry Sectors
  • Individuals
    • Visa Extensions
    • Skilled Work Visas
    • Working Holiday Visas
    • Family & Partner Visas
    • Student Visas
    • Visitor Visas
    • Medical Treatment Visas
    • Complex Migration Issues
    • Visa Refusals and Appeals
    • Case Studies
  • News and Info
    • Immigration News
    • Case Studies
    • Why Use a Migration Agent?
    • Visa Extensions
    • Australian Migration Services
  • Contact Us
Interstaff Migration

Free Call (within Australia): 1800 449 858
Email: [email protected]

Head Office: Level 1, 384 Rokeby Road, Subiaco W.A. 6008
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (AWST).

Business Migration | Strategic Thinking.
© 2023 Interstaff.

Business Visas

  • Sponsorship
    • Standard Business Sponsorship
    • Labour Agreements
    • Training and Research Sponsor
    • Professional Development Sponsor
    • Entertainment Sponsor
    • Sponsorship Management Services
  • Temporary Work Visas
    • Employer Sponsored Work Visas
    • Short Stay Work Visas
    • Working Holiday Visas
  • Business Owner & Investor Visas
    • Business Owner Visa Stream
    • Investor Visa Stream
    • Significant Investor Visa Stream
    • Premium Investor Visa Stream
    • Permanent Residency As a Business Owner Or Investor
  • Complex Migration Issues
  • Permanent Work Visas
    • Employer Nomination Scheme
    • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
    • General Skilled Migration 
  • Supported Industry Sectors
    • Resources
    • Agriculture
    • Information Technology
    • Engineering & Construction
    • Trades
    • Health & Aged/Social Care
    • Restaurants & Hospitality
    • Education & Training
  • Business Migration FAQ's

Individual Visas

  • Skilled Work Visas
  • Working Holiday Visas
  • Family & Partner Visas
    • Partner Visas
    • Parent Visas
    • Child Visas
    • New Zealand Citizen Family Visa
    • Carer Visa Options
    • Remaining Relative Visa
  • Student Visas
  • Visitor Visas
  • Medical Treatment Visas
  • Complex Migration Issues
  • Individual Migration FAQ's
    • Boost Your IELTS Score
    • Settling In As A Skilled Migrant
    • Ask A Migration Agent 

Get in touch today

Contact Us

This content is not advice. It serves as a general overview of topics of interest. It is not exhaustive, and its accuracy is subject to change, therefore Interstaff is not responsible for the accuracy or timeliness of the information or any actions taken based on it. We recommend that you seek professional advice before making decisions or relying on the information provided – please enquire with our team of Registered Migration Agents for specialist advice so that your specific circumstances can be considered. 

Interstaff acknowledges that it is situated on Boorloo (Perth) - Whadjuk Noongar Country, and that Whadjuk Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, continuing to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge. We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.

Copyright 2024 | Website & SEO by Start Digital