Making Visa Entry Harder !

 When we opened our doors to the displaced of Europe at the end of the second world war our population swelled with many who did not speak or write English.  That was an era when it was unusual for married women to still participate in the workforce.  A married woman was perceived as a " home maker " and the male was the breadwinner in most families.

That was the era where many migrant Mums and Dads spoke little English and when the kids went to school they quickly became proficient in both English and their parents language and became the family interpreters. The government provided many English language classes and urged " New Australians " to learn English as a matter of urgency.

Than came the " Multiculturism  " era when it was no longer necessary to renounce your country of birth to become an Australian citizen and retaining your original language and customs was accepted.   Now we are again embracing change and the budget papers presented this week herald that English language proficiency  is again becoming a basic requirement for those seeking an entry visa for partners from a non English speaking country.

We are going to introduce an English language test and it will probably take both a verbal and written form.  It seems visa acquisition will be easier and faster for those who have married overseas than those who are bringing in a partner for a marriage that will take place later, here in Australia.

That sounds suspiciously like an attempt to stop the entry of illegal migrants as bogus marriage partners.  The intended marriage never takes place and they simply disappear into the swell of those here on a tourist visa who have overstayed and become illegals.

It also ignores a social change that is now an accepted way of life in Australia.  The ceremony of marriage is no longer the union of many couples in this country.  More people choose to simply live together without the blessing of the church, which frowns on the practice and insists that those cohabiting out of wedlock are " living in sin ".  In particular, young people often make multiple choices before settling on a permanent partner.

It seems grossly unfair that bringing in a partner from overseas will be assisted by the production of a marriage certificate that is being avoided by citizens already living in this country.  A high number of marriages end in the divorce court and while the Family Court now dispenses divorces without the need to  determine cause or fault, it is a costly and time consuming exercise that many couples seek to avoid.

This imposition of English on intended spouses is more contentious. The command of the English language is certainly helpful in obtaining and keeping a job.  Our migrant history illustrates many who have managed a fulfilling and financially secure life in Australia without that benefit,  including some who have gone on to found commercial dynasties that employ vast numbers of people.

English is certainly the common language of Australia and the more that speak and write it, the better for the economy, but making it an impediment to entry seems to be a big step in the wrong direction.  Making a marriage certificate proof of good intentions cements the dead hand of the churches back where it stifled the freedoms we enjoy today.   People are better judged on their merits rather than their adherence to church doctrine !