Malcolm Turnbull has flagged changes to Australia’s immigration and citizenship program, saying it is important to attract people who will “embrace our values and positively contribute”.



The prime minister used a speech to a business breakfast on Wednesday morning to warn that support for migration had “disintegrated” in countries without strong border controls, and he said irregular migration had “threatened the social fabric” of European countries.

Turnbull said changes to the 457 skilled visa program, outlined by the government on Tuesday, were the start of adjustments to the migration and citizenship program which would put “Australian jobs and Australian values first”.

“Changes to citizenship will enable our migration program to contribute still further to our social cohesion while enhancing our security,” Turnbull said Wednesday. “Australia must continue to attract people who will embrace our values and positively contribute, regardless of nationality or religious belief.”

“This is important for temporary visas, vital for permanent residency and citizenship. Citizenship must be valued and we’re making changes so the practices and principles of those obtaining citizenship are consistent with our cultural values.”

The government has been telegraphing its intention to overhaul the current citizenship test for several months, reflecting ongoing deliberations in the national security committee of cabinet. Turnbull’s comments suggest an announcement is imminent.

In early February the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, signalled a new, tougher citizenship test could consider behaviour including whether or not parents sent their children to school in the country they lived in before they applied for permanent residency in Australia.

“It could go beyond that,” Dutton said. “We could look at whether or not somebody has been involved in an outlaw motorcycle gang, we could look at whether somebody has been involved, for example, in domestic violence, we could look at whether or not somebody had children that were of school age, but had not attended school for extended periods over that preceding three or four years.”

Dutton said the new test would be about ensuring new arrivals wanted to share Australian values. “If you want to live in this country you need to abide by the law and if you’re not going to abide by the law, or you’re not going to work if you’ve got a capacity to work, if you’re going to spend your time on welfare, or your kids are involved in Apex gangs in Victoria, for instance, then really we need to question whether that person is the best possible citizen.”

On Wednesday he said the government was of the view that people applying for Australian citizenship needed to demonstrate adherence to Australian values and a concrete commitment to abide by Australian laws.

The immigration minister said “measures” would need to be taken before people achieved permanent residency under the revised test.

His comments are consistent with a proposal under which would-be permanent residents would be granted a provisional visa before achieving permanent residency. Documents obtained by Fairfax Media last November indicated the government was contemplating such a system.

The leaked documents also made it clear that federal officials had significant concerns about the government’s proposal, with a briefing note that said: “The proposed reforms could undermine Australia’s social cohesion and potentially increase the risk factors that may lead to violent extremism by creating a two-tier society where migrants are treated substantially differently to Australian citizens.”

The briefing paper also suggested the overhaul could contravene Australia’s internal obligations if the provisional visa system imposed an additional waiting period for access to the social safety net.