19 June 2008

Assistance given to Australian visa holders taking citizenship test

People applying for an Australian visa will get more help when taking the citizenship test, according to a source. The Government has dedicated AUD$3.4 million to help people who need assistance when taking the computer-based test.

The money will be given to a variety of communities in the country, who will aid Australian immigration applicants to take the test. Senator Chris Evans, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, said: "These organisations will offer a range of services to support up to 35,000 people who may have difficulty in undertaking the computer-based citizenship test."

He said Australian visa holders with a lack of formal education, who have difficulty performing under test conditions and who are not computer literate will benefit from the funding. Richard Wolcott has recently said some aspects of the Australian citizenship test should be changed, as it is too difficult. He told the Age a review committee had found potential visa holders would find it unnecessarily hard.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements