Immigration Laws: December, 1994 - Number #18

Using the slogan--Australian Citizenship - Welcome to Our Family-- Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating on November 4 launched a campaign to encourage the 1.1 million eligible immigrants--57 percent from the United Kingdom and New Zealand-- to become Australian citizens. About 120,000 immigrants became Australian citizens in 1993.

To become an Australian citizen, persons need to have lived two years of the past five years in Australia, including 12 months' residence during the 24 months before applying. Australia permits dual citizenship only if the country of birth allows dual citizenship, as in the case of Irish or Italian immigrants. About 40 percent of all Australians were born abroad or had parents who were not born in Australia.

In early November, Australia administered an English language test to 7,000 aliens requesting refugee status in the country; those who pass the test may be able to immigrate under economic categories. On November 1, 1993, Australia granted permanent residence status to the 19,000 Chinese who were in the country when the Beijing massacre occurred on June 4, 1989. Another 9000 spouses and children later joined them in Australia.

On November 1, 1993, there were 20,000 applicants for asylum in Australia, and Australia created a new category of permanent resident. The intent was to deal with remaining Chinese students and dependents and foreign students who paid tuition to get to Australia, and then went to work and overstayed their visas. Many of those required to take the test protested, but the government responded that they came to Australia in the first place to learn English.

There are 147,507 Muslims from 67 countries--led by Lebanon and Turkey--in Australia. Most are under 25, and one-third were born in Australia. Half live in Sydney, and another one-third live in Melbourne. The number of Muslims in Australia almost doubled between 1981 and 1991, and Australia now has 57 mosques.

Almost half of the Muslims interviewed in one study complained of discrimination, especially women wearing the hijab, or head covering, while trying to get jobs. A Racial Hatred Bill is expected to be introduced in Canberra to create an agency to hear complaints of public behavior against persons because of their race, color or ethnic origin.

Immigration Minister Nick Bolkus praised Muslim immigrants, and a study described their presence as another example of "Australia's transition to becoming a multicultural society."

"Australia launches campaign for new citizens," Japan Economic Newswire, November 4, 1994; Jack Taylor, "Moslem migrants complain of bigotry, prejudice in Australia," Agence France Presse, November 4, 1994 The Age (Melbourne) November 5, 1994. Debra Jopson, "Chinese Refugees Claim Test an "Insult," Sydney Morning Herald, November 2, 1994.