Australian citizenship test
Encyclopedia
The Australian citizenship test is a test applicants for Australian citizenship who also meet the basic requirements for citizenship are required to take. It was introduced in 2007 to assess the applicants' adequate knowledge of Australia
, the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship
and basic knowledge of the English language
. The format of the test was amended in 2009.
On 2 January 2008, it was announced that the test would be reviewed when statistics showed that over 20% of those sitting the test failed on their first attempts. On 28 April 2008 the Minster for Immigration and Citizenship
, Senator Chris Evans
, announced the appointment of an independent committee to conduct a review of the Australian citizenship test since its implementation on 1 October 2007. This review was commissioned to examine the operation of the citizenship test after six months experience and whether there were ways to improve its operation and effectiveness as the pathway for residents to become Australian citizens. On 22 November 2008, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Evans, released the Citizenship Test Review Report Moving Forward … Improving Pathways to Citizenship and the Government’s response. The report and the Governments response are located at http://www.citizenshiptestreview.gov.au/
On 19 October 2009, changes to the citizenship test came into effect. Under the new rules, a mark of 75% (15 out of 20 questions correct) is required to pass. Previously, a mark of 60% plus answering three mandatory questions correctly was required. Applicants will need to pass the test before they can submit their citizenship application.
questions drawn randomly from a pool of 200 confidential questions. The test is only available in English. Applicants have 45 minutes to complete the test. The material is drawn from the official guide "Becoming an Australian Citizen" published by the Australian Government department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Scheduling a time to take the test can be done by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC). Wait times vary widely, and applicants may need to wait a considerable amount of time. As of 17 February 2009, one would need to wait almost four months to secure an appointment in central Sydney and over three months in Parramatta. In less congested areas, wait times are considerably less, if any; in Adelaide, for instance, one did not need make an appointment at all and simply could go to the Adelaide DIAC office anytime.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
and basic knowledge of the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The format of the test was amended in 2009.
History
In December 2006, it was announced that applicants for Australian citizenship who are over 18 and under 60 years old will need to pass an Australian citizenship test. The objective of the test is to prove an applicant's grasp of English language and understanding of Australia’s "values", history, traditional and national symbols. Citizenship applicants are required to study a booklet produced by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.On 2 January 2008, it was announced that the test would be reviewed when statistics showed that over 20% of those sitting the test failed on their first attempts. On 28 April 2008 the Minster for Immigration and Citizenship
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for overseeing the Department of Immigration and Citizenship....
, Senator Chris Evans
Chris Evans (Australian politician)
Christopher Vaughan Evans is an Australian politician and a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Western Australia, representing the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:...
, announced the appointment of an independent committee to conduct a review of the Australian citizenship test since its implementation on 1 October 2007. This review was commissioned to examine the operation of the citizenship test after six months experience and whether there were ways to improve its operation and effectiveness as the pathway for residents to become Australian citizens. On 22 November 2008, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Evans, released the Citizenship Test Review Report Moving Forward … Improving Pathways to Citizenship and the Government’s response. The report and the Governments response are located at http://www.citizenshiptestreview.gov.au/
On 19 October 2009, changes to the citizenship test came into effect. Under the new rules, a mark of 75% (15 out of 20 questions correct) is required to pass. Previously, a mark of 60% plus answering three mandatory questions correctly was required. Applicants will need to pass the test before they can submit their citizenship application.
Test format
The computer based test consists of 20 multiple choiceMultiple choice
Multiple choice is a form of assessment in which respondents are asked to select the best possible answer out of the choices from a list. The multiple choice format is most frequently used in educational testing, in market research, and in elections-- when a person chooses between multiple...
questions drawn randomly from a pool of 200 confidential questions. The test is only available in English. Applicants have 45 minutes to complete the test. The material is drawn from the official guide "Becoming an Australian Citizen" published by the Australian Government department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Scheduling a time to take the test can be done by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC). Wait times vary widely, and applicants may need to wait a considerable amount of time. As of 17 February 2009, one would need to wait almost four months to secure an appointment in central Sydney and over three months in Parramatta. In less congested areas, wait times are considerably less, if any; in Adelaide, for instance, one did not need make an appointment at all and simply could go to the Adelaide DIAC office anytime.
Questions and answers
Although the following are not necessarily correct answers, they are correct in the context of the test.- Which one of these is a responsibility for every Australian citizen? (Join with Australians to defend Australia and its way of life, should the need arise)
- Which one of these values is important in modern Australia? (Everyone has equality of opportunity)
- What is Australia's national floral emblemFloral emblemIn a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used to adopt these symbols - some are conferred by...
? (The golden wattleGolden WattleAcacia pycnantha is Australia's floral emblem. It is a tree which flowers in late winter and spring, producing a mass of fragrant, fluffy, golden flowers.-Description:...
) - Which one of these Australians is famous for playing cricket? (Sir Donald Bradman)
- What is a Bill? (A proposed law that has not yet passed through parliament)
- In what year did Federation take place? (1901)
- Which day of the year is Australia DayAustralia DayAustralia Day is the official national day of Australia...
? (26 January) - Who was the first Prime Minister of Australia? (Edmund BartonEdmund BartonSir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
) - What is the first line of Australia's national anthemNational anthemA national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
? ("Australians all let us rejoice") - What is the population of Australia? (approx 21 million)
- In what city is the Parliament House of the Commonwealth Parliament located? (CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
) - Who is the Queen's representative in Australia? (the governor-generalGovernor-GeneralA Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
) - How are Members of Parliament chosen? (by election)
- Who do Members of Parliament represent? (the people of their electorate)
- After a federal election, who forms the new government? (the political party or coalition of parties which wins a majority of seats in the House of Representatives)
- What are the colours on the Australian flag? (red, white and blue)
- Who is the head of the Australian Government? (the prime ministerPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
) - What are the three levels of government in Australia? (Commonwealth, State or Territory and local)
- In what year did the European settlement of Australia start? (1788)
- Serving on a jury if required is a responsibility of Australian citizenship: true or false? (true)
- In Australia, everyone is free to practise the religion of their choice, or practise no religion: true or false? (true)
- To be elected to the Commonwealth Parliament you must be an Australian citizen: true or false? (true)
- As an Australian citizen, I have the right to register my baby born overseas as an Australian citizen: true or false? (true)
- Australian citizens aged 18 years or over are required to enrol on the electoral register: true or false? (true)
- What is the name of the Australian remote inland areas? (outback)
External links
- Citizenship Test - Official website for Citizenship Test