28 April 2008

Citizenship test review to affect Australian immigrants

The Australian Citizenship test is being reviewed, which may affect immigrants to the country. A committee of seven people are meeting to determine any changes to the test, which was introduced last October. The review is intended to assess the "operation and effectiveness" of the test. Senator Chris Evans, the minister for immigration and citizenship, said: "The committee will examine aspects of the content and operation of the citizenship test, including the experiences of applicants and the impact on citizenship applications."

People who have engaged in Australian immigration have to complete the citizenship test to become a citizen of the country. Senator Evans added: "I urge people to take the opportunity to provide feedback." The test aims to assess the grasp of the English language, the understanding of Australia's values, history and national symbols. Figures in January this year showed that one-fifth of the applicants who took the test failed to achieve the 60 per cent pass mark.

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.