Coalition flags tougher English tests and values quiz flagged for new migrants

The Coalition wants to introduce a citizenship-style test on Australian values for new visa holders as it prepares its revamped immigration policy.

The Coalition is considering introducing a citizenship-style test on Australian values for new visa holders and strengthening English language requirements for foreign students, as it prepares its revamped immigration policy.

Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph, the Coalition’s Home Affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam – who is leading policy development work on immigration and population alongside Immigration spokesman Paul Scarr – also revealed the Coalition is considering conditions on visas to ensure migrants connect to the Australian way of life.

“It is important that this is not just a tick-a-box exercise. People say they ascribe to the values we feel are important in this country. You can’t just set and forget,” he said.

The Coalition’s Home Affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam alongside the Coalition’s Immigration spokesman Paul Scarr, is leading policy development on immigration and population.

“We are looking at how best to assess someone’s commitment to our country … and there are a range of ways of doing that, and it may be that, of course, a condition on a visa might be one of those things that we inquire about, or revisiting the citizenship test.”

Unlike applicants for Australian citizenship, prospective migrants are not required to sit a test on Australian values.

Instead, they are required to read and sign the Australian Values Statement, which sets out key values including the rule of law, freedom of speech, and equality of opportunity, as part of the application process.

Senator Duniam also suggested the Coalition would strengthen English language requirements for foreign students, if it wins the next election.

“I think the requirements, the standards of these tests, do need to be improved,” Senator Duniam said.

“There’s no question about it”.

Mr Duniam says he is looking at how best to assess new migrants’ commitment to our country. Picture: Chris Kidd/NewsWire

“Where we have tests that are not guaranteeing an outcome where those who pass the tests can adequately communicate with others, then we are letting them down. And, as a nation, then we pay the price.”

Last year, the Albanese government strengthened English language requirements for student visas and graduate visas after a review of Australia’s migration settings found “student English language requirements may not set up students to succeed”.

Senator Duniam – a sixth generation Tasmanian – spoke passionately about the experience of his wife Anisa, whose family arrived in Australia as political refugees after fleeing communism in eastern ­Europe.

“My wife’s family came from a country where they were told by the government where they would live, they were told by the government what vocation they would take on, or whether indeed you were allowed to go on to further learning or go and be a hard labourer.

“They were living in fear of incarceration …”

“The fact that they have been able to take advantage of the opportunities that our country has is something they will never be able to pay back to this country. They are very grateful for it.

“When it comes to my views about immigration and the policies we need to set to get it right for our country, it is people like my wife’s family who I think about.”

Originally published as Coalition flags tougher English tests and values quiz flagged for new migrants