2.3.1 Decisions on citizenship status

Objective

This component provides for the administration of Australian citizenship law and policy. In particular, this will be managed through decisions on applications for citizenship by conferral, by descent, by adoption under full and permanent Hague Convention arrangements, by resumption and applications for evidence of citizenship; renunciation of citizenship; management of conferral of citizenship and provision of citizenship information services.

Description

This output component involves managing and delivering lawful decisions under Australian citizenship legislation including effective management of conferral of citizenship and the provision of citizenship information services.

Performance

In 2007–08, 101 787 decisions were made on applications for citizenship by conferral.

The overall approval rate of applications for grant was 91 per cent in 2007–08. A total of 85 per cent of applications were decided within 90 days, an increase on the rate of 68 per cent in 2006–07, with 23 per cent decided on the day of lodgement.

Appendix 7 contains statistical information on the former nationality or citizenship and the previous country of residence of people who became Australian citizens by grant in 2007–08.

In 2007–08, the Citizenship Information Line received 612 218 calls regarding citizenship and requests for forms, an average of 51 018 calls per month.

The department continued to monitor citizenship application processing through its Citizenship Quality Assurance Program. In addition, an audit was conducted between December 2007 to February 2008. Recommendations from the audit are being implemented.

Citizenship test

The Australian citizenship test commenced on 1 October 2007. Most applicants for conferral of citizenship who are aged between 18 and 60 are now required to complete a citizenship test successfully before making an application.

The test questions are based on the contents of a resource book, Becoming an Australian citizen, which has been translated into 29 languages.

The test is computer-based, and comprises 20 multiple choice questions drawn randomly from a larger bank of questions. To pass, the applicant must answer at least 12 out of 20 questions correctly, including three mandatory questions on the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.

Assisted tests are available for certain applicants with low levels of literacy in English, or with a physical or cognitive impairment.

Tests are available in every departmental office in Australia and at overseas posts as well as 30 Medicare and four Centrelink offices around regional Australia, to which departmental officers travel to administer the test.

Grant funding of $11.6 million over four years has been provided for the Citizenship Support Grants Program (CSGP) to help applicants to prepare to sit the Australian citizenship test. The program will provide funding for 33 community-based organisations across Australia, and deliver a range of services in 2008–09 on a pilot basis.

Test outcomes

The minister agreed to make citizenship test outcomes public. Outcomes of the test are monitored and reported with a quarterly snapshot report published and available on the department’s website.

Between 1 October 2007 and 30 June 2008:

• 48 713 clients sat the Australian citizenship test
• 46 500 of these clients (or 95.5 per cent) passed the test on their first or subsequent attempt
• the department administered 59 185 tests to these clients, including re-sits where the client did not pass the test on their first attempt
• on average there were 1.2 tests administered per client
• clients who came to Australia under the Skill Stream of the Migration Program accounted for 48 per cent of all test participants—99 per cent passed on their first or subsequent attempt
• clients who came to Australia under the Family Stream of the Migration Program accounted for 22 per cent of all test participants—92 per cent passed on their first or subsequent attempt
• clients who came to Australia under the Humanitarian Program accounted for 11 per cent of all test participants—82 per cent passed on their first or subsequent attempt
• the top ten countries of birth for clients who have sat the test are the United Kingdom, People’s Republic of China, India, Iraq, South Africa, New Zealand, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

1. This figure includes all decisions on citizenship status including applications for conferral, descent and resumption.

1. Loss statistics include renunciation of Australian citizenship. Source: Integrated Client Services Environment (ICSE) data extraction, 7 August 2008. ICSE is a dynamic database and figures may change from day to day.