Decline In Citizenship Applications

The number of people requesting citizenship has declined last year, down 42% on the year before. And this trend has not changed in recent months.

The Migration Council of Australia believes there are several factors at work here. One is the two year waiting period. This seems to be connected to a surge in applications a few years ago (around 2017), followed by a decline as people were holding back.

A more important factor may be the values test which was proposed at this time, though never introduced. The surge seems to have been people trying to apply before the test was introduced. This values test would have required university level English, a higher standard than before. But this values test never got Senate approval.

But though the values test was not introduced additional security checks were put in place. This caused the application to be longer, contributing to the backlog that already existed.

Individual reasons for not wanting citizenship also exist. Some people do not want to give up the citizenship of their original country. Sometime the original country does not allow dual citizenship. Others feel they need to be emotionally linked to and patriotic about the country if they are to be citizens. A few need the freedom to frequently travel and meet relatives in their country or origin.

An easily over looked aspect is that permanent residents in Australia already have access to most of the benefits that citizen enjoy. If permanent residents can have access to medical benefits and superannuation there is no reason to also become citizens. It is only voting and a few government jobs that requires citizenship.

Of course the reduced cap on permanent migration also reduces the number of people who are even eligible for citizenship. The migration cap has gone from 190,000 to 160,000 over the last year. this stands in contrast to temporary VISAs for student, skilled workers and working holiday visitors, which continues to grow.

The home Affairs Department believes this decline in permanent migration and citizenship is inevitable, claiming that the continuous growth stretching back to 2011 is not sustainable.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. No individual should take, or refrain from taking, any action solely based on the material contained in this article. While we aim to offer accurate and timely information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on the date of receipt or in the future. If you require more information or seek relevant legal advice specific to your circumstances, please contact our office.