Asking Liberals to remove language test for citizenship applicants

[mrwestjet]

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:

- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

 

[D miller]

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:
It's for a reason for immigration purpose, reasons being when coming through customs when ask questions most people don't have a clue what the customs officers are saying so I strongly believe that's not going to change just saying
- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

 

[Sumonaney]

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:

- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

As long as 3 yrs rule back every body will be happy

 

[torontosm]

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:

- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

This is ridiculous. If you want to live in a country, let alone be a citizen, you should be able to communicate in one of the two national languages. This is Canada, and you chose to immigrate here.

 

[zardoz]

This is ridiculous. If you want to live in a country, let alone be a citizen, you should be able to communicate in one of the two national languages. This is Canada, and you chose to immigrate here.

Bill C-6 has been amended in the Senate to actually reverse the original intent to lower the exemption age. In other words, the Senate for sure doesn't agree with this petition's intention. It's pretty much a waste of time, as it's not going to happen.

 

[jsm0085]

Bill C-6 has been amended in the Senate to actually reverse the original intent to lower the exemption age. In other words, the Senate for sure doesn't agree with this petition's intention. It's pretty much a waste of time, as it's not going to happen.

Completely. Neither the HoC and the SoC agree with this proposal - the suggestion was discussed during the committee stage. The issue right now is the amendment that was brought forward by Sen. Griffin assumed that people could apply for exemptions under "compassionate grounds", which isn't the case. She has responded in detail on twitter to one of my latest posts and my hope is she will table a further amendment to allow for some form of compassionate groups - which may actually make the amendment passable in the HoC. Tweet some support people - but no hate!

 

[ottawa-pr]

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:

- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

This is bad policy and bad politics rolled into one ...

1. Doing away with formal language requirements and replacing it with the assessment of the citizenship officer is moving in the wrong direction. I would like the process to have more precise rules not less. Replacing objective requirements with the individual officer's discretion, at the very least will create a lot of bad feelings: "their officer was much less strict about the language because (s)he comes from the same country!", not to mention the fact that it opens the door for corruption.

2. The second objection is worse, the correct answer is either to have fewer citizenship applications or to increase the number of classes. Lowering standards is not the way to go, how would you feel about: "having criminal background checks takes too long so let's eliminate that requirement for hiring in the police, I mean the vast majority of people who get criminal background checks don't have any criminal record anyway."

3. Waiving language requirements should be granted under exceptional circumstances only, you can't generalize based on exceptions. And how does someone who doesn't know French or English integrate and find jobs? The answer is they only socialize with people who speak their original language. How is this self-segregation healthy for the society?

I don't know whether you realize this or not but these type of demands give valid ammunition to those opposing immigration.

 

[Coffee1981]

This is ridiculous. If you want to live in a country, let alone be a citizen, you should be able to communicate in one of the two national languages. This is Canada, and you chose to immigrate here.

This. X1,000.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Completely. Neither the HoC and the SoC agree with this proposal - the suggestion was discussed during the committee stage. The issue right now is the amendment that was brought forward by Sen. Griffin assumed that people could apply for exemptions under "compassionate grounds", which isn't the case. She has responded in detail on twitter to one of my latest posts and my hope is she will table a further amendment to allow for some form of compassionate groups - which may actually make the amendment passable in the HoC. Tweet some support people - but no hate!

I'm a bit confused. People can already apply for test exemptions based on compassionate grounds.

 

[zardoz]

I'm a bit confused. People can already apply for test exemptions based on compassionate grounds.

As was identified in the Senate, these are extremely limited. However, so far, C-6 has not been amended to alter them.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

As was identified in the Senate, these are extremely limited. However, so far, C-6 has not been amended to alter them.

Yes, I understand the grounds are very limited but they do exist. I would be curious to know what further grounds this senator would ask for.

 

[keesio]

The vast majority of countries require some language fluency to become a citizen. Of course this is for a standard application (I'm sure exceptions are made in cases where the country clearly benefits short term (ahem Olympic medal) ). In any case, requiring some competency in the official language is not too much to ask.

 

[frankwhyte22]

How do you plan to integrate into the society if you can't speak English or French? This petition is rubbish...sorry!

There has been a petition calling on Liberals to remove language proficiency testing requirement from all eligible citizenship applicants. The reasons cited as follows:

- Citizenship applicants must pass knowledge tests about Canada (the bar of pass mark is set high at 15 correct answers out of 20 questions), and also oral examinations with citizenship officers in either one of two official languages before they can take oaths of citizenship. Requiring applicants to provide evidences of language proficiency is an duplicated effort;
- Government-funded language-training classes are already overloaded to accommodate new immigrants with language training needs, plus those only attend solely for language requirements for citizenship; and
- Some classes of immigrants are not assessed against language proficiency when they first come. Most are still employable and integrate without the needs to prove upfront language-proficiency. It does not make sense the government will ask them to prove their motivations to speak English or French from a language requirement for citizenship. If the person need to upgrade his employability through language skills, it should be at his own-will.

https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-550

If you want to support this petition, please sign and ask yours to help sign it. The petition requires 550 signatures by June 2017 for the Liberals to consider this change.

 

[zardoz]

How do you plan to integrate into the society if you can't speak English or French? This petition is rubbish...sorry!

With only 59 signatures since it was started, it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.