<div dir="ltr">
<h1 id="gmail-skip-to-content-heading">Mandatory English language classes, new test under consideration for migrants</h1><div class="gmail-byline">
By political reporter <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/jane-norman/5873958" target="_self" title="">Jane Norman</a></div>
<p class="gmail-published">
Updated
<span class="gmail-timestamp"><time class="gmail-relative gmail-undefined" datetime="Wed Jun 13 2018 20:54:31 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)" title="Wed 13 Jun 2018, 8:54pm"><span class="gmail-noprint">Wed at 8:54pm</span><span class="gmail-print"></span></time></span>
</p>
<div class="gmail-attached-content">
<div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-photo gmail-left">
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/scrabble-board---gareth-cattermole---abc-news.jpg/9869044">
<img src="http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/7191586-3x2-340x227.jpg" alt="Words on a Scrabble board." title="Words on a Scrabble board." width="340" height="227">
</a><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/scrabble-board---gareth-cattermole---abc-news.jpg/9869044" class="gmail-inline-caption"><strong>
Photo:</strong>
Alan Tudge says a common language is essential for multicultural integration. <span class="gmail-source">(ABC News: Gareth Cattermole, file photo)</span>
</a></div>
<div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-story gmail-left">
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-07/english-language-tests-need-to-be-tougher-government-warns/9522412"><strong>Related Story:</strong>
Migrants living in 'cultural bubbles' need to improve their English skills, Government warns</a></div>
<div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-story gmail-left">
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-17/budget-would-suffer-if-australia-cut-immigration-report-shows/9666232"><strong>Related Story:</strong>
Reducing migration rate would be bad for budget, Government report finds</a></div>
<div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-story gmail-left">
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-13/migrant-refugee-children-standout-performers-in-spelling-naplan/9250622"><strong>Related Story:</strong>
Children from migrant families are standout performers in spelling</a></div>
</div>
<p class="gmail-first">The Federal Government is considering new English
language requirements for anyone seeking permanent residency, with
figures showing close to 1 million people in Australia cannot speak
basic English.</p><div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-wysiwyg gmail-right">
<div class="gmail-inner">
<h2>Key points:</h2><ul><li>Coalition figures suggest number of Australians who don't speak English is rising</li><li>Government considering options including mandatory language classes, customised English tests</li><li>Malcolm Turnbull says any new test would be assessing "conversational" or "primary-school" level English</li></ul></div>
</div><p> </p><p>Australia accepts up to 190,000 permanent migrants each
year and while they need to prove they can understand English, their
spouses, children and extended family accompanying them do not.</p><p>Multicultural
Affairs Minister Alan Tudge argued this had created the "concerning
situation" where "close to a million" Australians now do not speak the
national language.</p><p>"That's not in the interests of those migrants
but nor is it in the interests of social cohesion, because if we can't
communicate with one another, it's very difficult to integrate," he
said.</p><p>Figures released by the Coalition suggest the numbers have been steadily rising.</p><p>In 2016, about 820,000 permanent residents in Australia had little or no English, compared with 300,000 in 1981.</p><div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-wysiwyg gmail-right">
<div class="gmail-inner">
<h2><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-13/how-dutton-slowed-immigration/9646602" target="_self" title="">Behind Dutton's visa switch</a></h2><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-13/how-dutton-slowed-immigration/9646602" target="_self" title=""><img alt="Behind Dutton's visa switch" class="gmail-float--none" src="http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/6769664/data/dutton-custom-image-data.jpg"> </a> <br><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-13/how-dutton-slowed-immigration/9646602" target="_self" title="">New
analysis of the immigration program reveals how a tiny tweak from Peter
Dutton will slow the growth of Australia's immigration.</a></div>
</div><p> </p><p>According to Mr Tudge, in some suburbs, up to one in three people "cannot speak the national language well or at all".</p><p>He
said the Government was determined to ensure Australia did not repeat
the experience of some European countries where migrants become isolated
in "parallel communities".</p><p>"Australia's multicultural model has
been built on integration where communities merge together, where we
play together, where we work together," he said.</p><p>"But in order for that to occur you do need to have a common language."</p><p>The
Government is considering a range of options, from mandatory language
classes for anyone seeking permanent residency, to a new, customised
English test.</p><div class="gmail-inline-content gmail-wysiwyg gmail-right">
<div class="gmail-inner">
<h2><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-20/does-new-english-test-for-would-be-citizens-set-bar-too-high/8457834" target="_self" title="">The bar set too high?</a></h2><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-20/does-new-english-test-for-would-be-citizens-set-bar-too-high/8457834" target="_self" title=""><img alt="The bar set too high?" class="gmail-float--none" src="http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/8458342/data/english-class-for-migrants-in-sydney-data.jpg"> </a> <br><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-20/does-new-english-test-for-would-be-citizens-set-bar-too-high/8457834" target="_self" title="">A
tougher English language test under sweeping changes to citizenship
laws will exclude people from disadvantaged backgrounds, an expert
warns.</a></div>
</div><p> </p><p>Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged concerns
with the Government's previous attempt at toughening language
requirements for migrants and said any new test would be assessing
"conversational" or "primary-school" level English.</p><p>"Everyone
should recognise that we all have a vested interest in being able to
converse and engage in our national language," he said.</p><p>The Coalition has been forced to change tack after the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-18/citizenship-bill-headed-for-senate-doom-despite-dutton-changes/9062412" target="_self" title="">Senate blocked its controversial changes to citizenship laws</a>, which would have required new citizens to pass a Level 6, or university-level, English test.</p><p>That proposal sparked a backlash, with a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-05/senate-committee-says-citizenship-english-proposal-too-tough/8875926" target="_self" title="">Coalition-dominated Senate Committee warning it would "disqualify from citizenship many Australians</a>
who, in the past, and with a more basic competency in the English
language, have proven valuable members of the Australian community".</p><p>Mr
Tudge has spent the past six months consulting widely over the
Government's plans and is likely to present a new, watered-down version
of that bill to Parliament.</p>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>