Immigrants who wish to become permanent residents will be required to sit an English test as concerns grow about social fragmentation.
The number of people living in Australia who speak little or no English is rising rapidly, and forecast to reach one million within just three years.
Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge is expected to announce the new conversation test plans in a speech to the Sydney Institute on Thursday.
The number of people living in Australia who speak little or no English is rising rapidly, and forecast to reach one million within just three years (stock image)
Mr Tudge will say the government is concerned with the growing number of people who cannot communicate in English (stock image)
Mr Tudge will cite large cities like Sydney and Melbourne, which together are home to 67 suburbs where more than 50 per cent of people were born overseas (stock image)
Mr Tudge will say the government is concerned with the growing number of people who cannot communicate in English, The Australian reported.
‘As we approach a million without English capability, we will begin to get more social fragmentation,’ Mr Tudge’s speech reads.
‘There are suburbs where up to one in three cannot speak the national language well or at all.
‘Further, because of the concentration in particular areas, there is less demand on the individuals to have to interact with other Australians.’
Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge (pictured) is expected to announce the new conversation test plans in a speech to the Sydney Institute on Thursday
Immigrants who wish to become permanent residents will be required to sit an English test as concerns grow about social fragmentation (stock image)
Mr Tudge will cite large cities like Sydney and Melbourne, which together are home to 67 suburbs where more than 50 per cent of people were born overseas.
Of those, 28 suburbs have populations with over 60 per cent of people overseas-born, many of whom do not speak English.
In one such suburb, Greater Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-east, 61.7 per cent of the 152,000 residents were born overseas, and 17 per cent do not speak English well.
The number of permanent residents who speak little or no English rose from 300,000 in 1981 to 820,000 in 2016.
Census data shows that number will hit one million by 2021, 2026 if children are not included.
A conversational English test would replace the International English Language Testing System used to assess skilled migrants.
Mr Tudge will argue a language test is standard in many countries with high immigration, and is not a new idea.
The new mandatory requirement could affect up to 130,000 new arrivals to Australia every year.
This is not the first time Mr Tudge has flagged the importance of English for migrants.
In March he suggested migrants must demonstrate they’ve made an effort to integrate before becoming citizens, steps which could include joining a Rotary Club or a soccer team.
The government has been in talks with crossbench MPs to garner support for changes to citizenship laws that were shot down in the Senate last year.
Mr Tudge will argue a language test is standard in many countries with high immigration, and is not a new idea (stock image)