Australia plans to draft a new bill to address naturalization test loopholes. (SBS pictures)
According to the Messenger Post, many Australian naturalized applicants have been exposed to use the Australian naturalization process loophole, by taking the test many times, the way to memorize the answer to the test eventually "muddled" through the naturalization test. The Home Office has begun to worry that some naturalized immigrants pass the naturalization test by taking multiple exams and reciting answers. The federal cabinet has drafted a new bill to close the loophole in the naturalization test.
A new Kunzhou resident passed the naturalization test 21 times in 2017, costing as much as A $5700, the record for the highest number of failed naturalization tests in Australia. In addition, nearly 1000 naturalized applicants failed 5 to 20 tests last year, 14 of whom failed more than 15 times, including a new state resident who failed 19 times.
The multi-choice naturalization test is the only way to test the applicant`s English proficiency. Federal government suggested in October that naturalized applicants who failed more than three times in the test, including the English language test, would not be allowed to take the test again for two years, but were rejected by the Senate.
Citizen and multiculturalism minister Tucci (Alan Tudge) said the purpose of the current test was to assess the extent to which naturalized applicants understood Australia`s various systems and lifestyles. "if people are familiar with the content by memorizing it, it is against the purpose of the test. We need to take this issue seriously because we want the new citizen to truly understand Australia`s system and to participate to the maximum extent possible. "
There are 75 questions in the existing naturalization test bank. The test question is 20. The applicant only has to answer 15 questions correctly to pass the test.
The federal government proposed a naturalization test reform last year, but the plan is controversial, with many arguing that the standard of English for immigrants under the government proposal is too high. It is understood that the Cabinet has begun to adjust the naturalization procedure and will revise and formulate new proposals on the basis of the original bill drafted by the then immigrant minister Duden (Peter Dutton).
