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Australia plans to raise the bar for handing out citizenships by lengthening the waiting period, adding a new "Australian values" test and raising the standard for English language as part of a shake-up of what many already consider a draconian immigration policy.
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The move comes in a week when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced axing a temporary work visa popular with foreigners and replacing it with a tougher program in a bid to put "Australia First,” rhetoric that echoes that of Donald Trump in the U.S. and far-right, xenophobic parties across Europe.
Like the U.S. and Europe, Australia has also seen the rise of nationalist, anti-immigration politics with far-right wing parties such as One Nation garnering strong public support, while the popularity of Turnbull's ruling center-right government has been languishing.
The new citizenship requirements are expected to be passed by parliament with the backing of right-wing Senators.
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