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Have your say on citizenship proposals
16 October 2009
People in Oxfordshire are today (Friday 16 October) being asked what foreign nationals should do if they want to stay in the country permanently and become British citizens.
The Government is currently undertaking a UK tour to gauge opinion on proposals to introduce a points system for migrants to earn British citizenship.
Plans in the new consultation, published in August, would see people rewarded for economic contributions, skills and English language proficiency above the level already expected. Points could be removed and citizenship withheld or delayed for those breaking the law or committing anti-social behaviour.
Gareth Redmond, Area Director at the UK Border Agency, will be at County Hall in Oxford to chair the latest of ten regional events exploring just how the proposals might work. He said:
'Being British is a privilege. We want foreign nationals to commit to playing a full role in society if they wish to stay in the country permanently.
'Today we're asking people in Oxford how that privilege should be earned - what kinds of activities should be rewarded, and what kinds of behaviours should put a stop to someone's application to become a British citizen.'
A points-based test for citizenship will give the Government more control over the numbers of people permitted to settle here permanently, allowing the bar for settlement to be raised or lowered depending on the needs of the country and the economy.
One of the key principles of the earned citizenship system is building community cohesion, through encouraging community involvement through 'active citizenship'.
Migrants already contribute to communities throughout the United Kingdom and the Government wants to support integration by encouraging more of this activity. That is why a migrant's journey to citizenship will speed up if they conduct voluntary or civic work. As part of this new 12 week consultation, the Government will work closely with local authorities to ensure any voluntary or community work being undertaken by applicants is checked and verified.
Under the current system those wanting citizenship have to pass a Life in the UK test to demonstrate both their knowledge of the country and their ability to speak English. The Government is proposing tightening this even further with a new two-stage system. This will focus on practical information about life in the UK at probationary citizenship stage, and then a further test at the final stage with more challenging topics including history and politics.
A range of local organisations have been invited to the event.
Members of the public can have their say by visiting the current consultations section.