Changes to the citizenship test and application process
Main contentThe government is committed to the citizenship test. It encourages potential citizens to find out more about Australia and understand the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship.
An independent review of the Australian citizenship test was undertaken in 2008 to help the government examine the content and operation of the citizenship test to make sure that it is achieving its purpose of providing an effective pathway for residents to become Australian citizens.
The Citizenship Test Review Committee made 34 recommendations to improve the test. The government fully supported 23 of the recommendations and gave in-principle support to a further four.
Implementation of the government supported changes has been completed:
- a new citizenship test based on the Australian Citizenship Pledge that new Australians make when becoming citizens
See:
New citizenship test
Australian Citizenship Pledge - a revised citizenship test resource book
See: Revised citizenship test resource book - a simplified citizenship application process
See: Simplified citizenship application process - changes to test exemptions
See: Changes to test exemptions - a new citizenship course
See: The Course-Based Test
More information on the independent review committee’s work including the committee’s report Moving forward… Improving Pathways to Citizenship and the government’s response to the report can be found here.
See:
- Moving forward… Improving Pathways to Citizenship (1.75MB PDF file)
- Government response to the Report by the Australian Citizenship Test Review Committee (46KB PDF file)
- Recommendations and Government Response – Fact Sheet (79KB PDF file)
- Media release from the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in response to the review
- Media release from the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship launching the revised citizenship test resource book
- Media release from the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship announcing the passage of the citizenship amendments through Parliament
- Media release from the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship launching the new test
