Apply for Australian Citizenship: Benefits & Process - Essay Sample

Introduction

Australia's quality living standards, career development opportunities, and economic stability have attracted several immigrants. The country welcomes capable migrants who live and contribute to social or economic growth. Although the appropriate paperwork guarantees residence in Australia, acquiring citizenship guarantees numerous benefits, including visa-free travel and voting rights. Permanent residents who meet specified requirements are eligible to apply for citizenship.

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The process of obtaining citizenship through an application is known as naturalization. The primary requirement for application is a one-year permanent residency obtained after passing a residency test. The test is eligible to foreigners who have resided within the state for a minimum of four years. The duration bequeathed to the application process varies, and individual progress depends on the provision of valid documentation (Fozdar, 2017). Generally, citizenship applications take at ten to twelve months from lodgment to ultimate submission.

Applicants aged between eighteen and fifty years undertake an oral interview and citizenship test. The assessment introduction aimed at allowing residents wishing to become Australian citizens to prove their willingness to observe the country's values and laws. The citizenship test comprises of twenty randomly drawn questions that represent different constitutional facets. For examination success, applicants are expected to submit fifteen correct answers. The text examines the applicants' knowledge of Australia and its values.

The state Department of Borders and Immigration manages applications, and its website provides necessary forms (Joppke,2013). The examination is computer-based and comprises of multiple-choice questions. The queries are clearly stated in English and cover diverse fields of national and constitutional significance. It is designed to evaluate the applicants' knowledge of Australian history, cultural heritage, and factors for national identity. The test seeks to assess the understanding of the privileges or responsibilities of citizens (Australian Citizenship Support, 2019). Additionally, it poses questions on the governmental structure and constitutional rights of citizens.

The questions suggest a sustainable image of the country's identity as the test demonstrates the role of cultural literacy in citizenship acquisition. It reveals the significance of national symbols, democratic traditions, constitutional rights, and political engagement. Adequate knowledge of Australia's cultural and national values is mandatory to become a citizen. It is, therefore, a practical test for cultural literacy as the questions categorize areas of cultural interest and national principles.

References

Australian Citizenship Support, (2019). Training for the Australian Citizenship Test. Retrieved from http://www.australiancitizenshipsupport.com/free-australian-citizenship-simulation-test/?action=1&chapter_name

Fozdar, F. (2017). Becoming Australian: Migration, settlement, and citizenship [Book Review]. Australasian Review of African Studies, The, 38(1), 138.

Joppke, C. (2013). Through the European looking glass: citizenship tests in the USA, Australia, and Canada. Citizenship Studies, 17(1), 1-15.