Members of Australia’s Vietnamese community have slammed the federal government’s push for a new English language test for partner visa applicants.
Migrants applying for a partner visa, and their sponsors, will need to demonstrate English language skills or an attempt to learn from late 2021 as the government seeks to maximise employment in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge on October 8 , first announced in the federal budget.
Tudge said 13 per cent of people with no English skills are in work compared to 62 per cent of those who are fluent English speakers.
Having to sit an English exam is unfair on prospective applicants, says Vietnamese woman Huong, 37, who moved to Sydney seven years ago with her Australian partner.
The couple decided to marry soon after arriving and Huong was sponsored by her husband which allowed her to stay in the country.
On her arrival, Huong says her English skills were “broken”, and she was unable to speak in full sentences, so she was completely dependent on her husband during social occasions.
She could not go out without her husband and did not have any other social relationships.
Six months later, she attended the government-funded English language program for new migrants, and gradually, she became more confident, made new friends, and got a job.
Now, she’s secured a stable job and works as a volunteer as a way of giving back to society.
She believes that while English is necessary, it shouldn’t be a mandatory requirement for partner visas.
Acting immigration minister Alan Tudge speaks to the media at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP
After all, she says, had she been required to take an English test seven years ago, she would never have been able to set foot in Australia.
“There are couples who love each other no matter how good or bad their English skills are, so English should not be a barrier between them,” Huong says.
“From my experience, I was lucky to learn English in Campsie where there were many migrants from different countries. I had no choice but to speak in English, so I made rapid progress to learn."
She highlights that for new migrants who settle in suburbs like Cabramatta or Bankstown in Sydney, which have a high number of Vietnamese migrants, speaking their mother tongue is the only way to survive.
“[In those suburbs] where most of their classmates are Vietnamese, they tend to speak in Vietnamese, which makes it hard for them to progress.
“I know many people have to quickly find a job to support their families back in Vietnam or to settle for their new life in Australia. Therefore, it is impossible for them to master English in such a short time.”
She affirms that there are people who are sponsored by their partners in Australia but are not ready to settle and integrate straight away.
“I think English is necessary, but knowledge about laws, the labour market, culture, and customs play a more important role in helping migrants integrate into society. The government should offer such free courses to help migrants rather than force them to take an English test.”
Pham Bich Thuy is a Vietnamese social worker and the President of the Asian Women at Work (AWATW), which provides courses and services for newly arrived migrants, including support for domestic violence. 
She says there are migrants who must quickly find ways to earn money once they arrive and end up with jobs that do not require high English skills such as working in factories, farms, or restaurants.
Pham Bich Thuy. Source: Bich Thuy Pham
“There are older people who have worked for many years before they can go back to English classes, their learning pace is very slow. It is impossible for them to take an English test.
“Learning English is necessary for new migrants, but an English test will only create more challenges for them.”
‘Discriminatory policy’
Andie Lam from the Vietnamese Australian Lawyers’ Association (VALA) says the move towards a test is a “discriminatory policy against non-English speaking countries”.
“According to Home Affairs, Vietnam is the sixth largest migrant community in Australia, after India, UK, New Zealand and the Philippines," she says. "All those communities already have very good English skills, so this is clearly a discrimination policy against non-English speaking countries.”
The quota for partner visas has been increased from 47,000 to 72,300 during the current financial year, but Lam believes the government’s purpose is to get money from applicants who do not pass the English test.
“For skilled visas or investment visas, applicants have to pay extra visa fees if they do not pass the English test, so it is very likely that the government will step by step implement this measure for the partner visas.
“For example, if the main applicant cannot pass the English test, he or she has to pay $10,000, and dependents over 18 years old $5000. For many families with accompanied children, they are willing to spend an extra $15,000 on their application. The government can easily make $450 million in just one year.”
Lam believes it is necessary to learn English when you first arrive in Australia, but the English test should never be a criterion for partner visas.
“The partner visa comprises four important things, family care, financial, social and marriage commitment. All of those have nothing to do with English.
“So for old couples who want to get together, do they have to take the English test as well?”
During the 70s and 80s, there were several waves of Vietnamese refugees to Australia, after fleeing the Vietnam War and its aftermath.
Most Vietnamese refugees at that time did not speak English, but over time, they integrated and contributed to Australian society.
According to Pham, the government should recognise that no matter what kind of visa they hold, migrants will contribute to Australian society in many ways.
Lawyer Andie Lam Source: Andie Lam
“After studying English, they can work and pay taxes and contribute back to Australian society.
“And even if the parents cannot speak English, their children who grow up here can speak English fluently, support their parents, and also contribute to society.”
Minister Tudge said details about the changes will be announced in the next few months.
