The Immigrant Language Test

[Smiffy]

Good move?

I think so.

Linky

 

[OldBlueLady]

About 10 years or so too late in my opinion.

 

[Gremlin]

Perhaps current British citizens should also be encouraged to take this test.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I used to watch Eldorado and none of them spoke Spanish.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I used to watch Eldorado and none of them spoke Spanish.

God that was an awful programme.:O

 

[John Cena]

Perhaps current British citizens should also be encouraged to take this test.

Totally agree, anyone who wasn't born here should have to take the test to prove they have a right to live here.

This is a massive move, still think they need to bring in the points system like the Aussie's have.

 

[osymandus]

Anyone watch ingUK Border force on sky will note they have had this (or probably a local trial ) for a little while anyway ;).
It is a good idea , but as noted some Brit's aboard are going to have a fun old time if it is ever put into place whole scale in other countries ;) .

 

[OldBlueLady]

Couldn't possibly be brought in retrospectively but I'd be harder than just bringing it in for those joining family members, with a country like ours and with a language as widely spoken around the world as ours is, it should be a requirement that anyone wishing to move here from abroad should be able to speak/understand at least a little English. My Right Wing tendencies have been awoken rather by this thread!

 

[Mad Cyril]

Totally agree, anyone who wasn't born here should have to take the test to prove they have a right to live here.

This is a massive move, still think they need to bring in the points system like the Aussie's have.

The aborigines were very forward thinking in this respect.

 

[Robbo]

About three years ago my wife, who is French, was granted British citizenship due to residency and the fact that she was married to a UK citizen. She'd successfully passed the "British" test that had recently been introduced and so we attended a ceremony at Southend Civic Centre.

Many of those granted British citizenship could not respond in English when asked to during the ceremony and I am sure that they'd employed "ringers" to sit the exam for them. It really made me angry: I didn't think that my wife who's worked as a teacher in the UK for over ten years should have been able to get UK citizenship so easily, let alone people from god knows where who have no knowledge, understanding or interest in the UK and its culture and society, just that it's an "easy touch"!

Rant over.

 

[Firestorm]

Perhaps we ought to have something similar on here.

Anyone who is unable to write in English is banned.

3 Spelling mistakes , grammatical or punctuation errors and you are out.


As for the language test, integration is key here and language is fundamental in integration so there should be some form of suitablility assesment.
As long as it is not "back door bigotry"

As for the Australian model, I find it interesting that the need to limit immigration has only surfaced since the "non whites" have started to move there.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

About three years ago my wife, who is French, was granted British citizenship due to residency and the fact that she was married to a UK citizen. She'd successfully passed the "British" test that had recently been introduced and so we attended a ceremony at Southend Civic Centre.

Many of those granted British citizenship could not respond in English when asked to during the ceremony and I am sure that they'd employed "ringers" to sit the exam for them. It really made me angry: I didn't think that my wife who's worked as a teacher in the UK for over ten years should have been able to get UK citizenship so easily, let alone people from god knows where who have no knowledge, understanding or interest in the UK and its culture and society, just that it's an "easy touch"!

Rant over.

Why would anyone who's French(and therefore an EU citizen)want British citizenship?
(FWIW my wife is French too and neither of us have ever considered taking out Spanish citizenship, although we'd be fully entitled to in terms of residence,language skills etc).

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

neither of us have ever considered taking out Spanish citizenship

Catalonian, surely? :p

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Catalonian, surely? :p

No, not for a passport though they can have a Catalan ID card. ;)
(To get Spanish citizenship(as a foreigner) you also have to swear an oath of loyalty to the (Bourbon)King).Not for me I fear. :)

 

[Firestorm]

(To get Spanish citizenship(as a foreigner) you also have to swear an oath of loyalty to the (Bourbon)King).Not for me I fear. :)

Custard Cream is the King

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Custard Cream is the King

Absolutely.:)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Custard Cream is the King

:D Beat me to it, but I prefer Ginger Nuts.

 

[Robbo]

Why would anyone who's French(and therefore an EU citizen)want British citizenship?
(FWIW my wife is French too and neither of us have ever considered taking out Spanish citizenship, although we'd be fully entitled to in terms of residence,language skills etc).

I think that she was concerned that if ever the UK left the EU her position as a non-UK citizen could cause her some difficulty. Also with our kids having dual nationality she wanted the same.

 

[J]

Totally agree with it - also, they should be made to sign up for a period of unpaid work, maybe, 5 years, then after that, if they still useful, let them in to society (their own society)

 

[pickledseal]

Just wondering.... how does it work if say, the husband speaks English, but his wife doesn't? Or how about the husband and wife do but not the kids? Is it just the worker/earners that need to pass the test?

I do think some kind of points system looking at skills/need in our country etc needs to be implemented. I just hope it is done right, or we'll just end up with more hate, more illegal immigration and more fundamentalism...