A new English skills test in US immigration: will it help Indian migrants?

Expected to come into effect next year (2024), USA’s new citizenship test has stirred worries among immigrants and several advocates. The Biden Administration has received some backlash for making the citizenship process more difficult for certain sections. The extensive naturalization procedure, which must be completed in order to become an American citizen, already takes several months. This is in addition to the condition of having permanent residency years before the individual considers applying.

What's new in the 2024 US Citizenship test:

In 2020, the former U.S. administration under Donald Trump had made the citizenship test tougher. It was longer and more complicated than the one it replaced. When Joe Biden took over the White House in 2020, he declared that he wished to end those obstacles to citizenship and restore the older version, and his government rolled back the changes. Unfortunately, that did not last long since U.S. officials declared in December 2022 that they’d be making a much-needed update to the test. It was deemed necessary because the test was last updated fifteen years ago.

The newer format may see the inclusion of a speaking section in the updated test by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). An officer would show the subject images of everyday situations and ask them to explain these verbally. This is a change from the current test since the assessment of an applicant’s speaking ability in the 2008 version was done by way of questions about personal queries. It is considered an easier process as the questions posed to the candidates were already answered during the naturalization documentation.

The insertion of a multiple-choice portion in place of oral short-answer questions on American history and the government could raise the difficulty of tests due to the increased requirement for in-depth knowledge on the matter. For instance, if asked about the war the United States fought in the 1990s, the applicant must select from the available options. This is a different approach because the initial test expected the applicant to name one of the wars. Under the new format, the individual has to be aware of all five wars the country fought in that period.

The new approach can be a form of discouragement for immigrants due to the increased requirement for proficiency. The current version only requires the applicant to get six answers right out of ten to pass the test. The questions are chosen at random from a bank of 100 without consulting the applicant first. Nevertheless, they could choose to study these 100 questions, making the session easier.

This can be further understood from the record in 2022. More than a million applicants became citizens, the highest on record. The USCIS has decreased this number by 60%, reducing the number of applicants for naturalization.

 What do the changes mean for Indians seeking US citizenship?

The test will now be longer and harder due to the new adjustments, and the fee will be beyond the budget of many applicants. Additionally, immigrants who struggle to comprehend English do not apply for residency in the US. This is why implementation of the current test for these populations has been requested.

Advocates express concern that the new requirements might make one of the simpler tests in Western countries' immigration procedures significantly more challenging. Despite its implementation for better accommodation of American values, it appears many might disagree.

Since English is not their first language, describing pictures in front of someone from the federal government can be intimidating. This affects many individuals from countries like India, where English isn’t the first language. Some experts explain that it further becomes more difficult to read and write, making the multiple-choice test not practical. With immigrants from diverse backgrounds applying for citizenship, the limited accessibility of resources and language proficiency become a bigger challenge with the updates.

However, USCIS claims that the proposed changes reflect the best practices in test design since they must demonstrate the applicant’s comprehension of the language. This is why applicants have already started their preparation for these changes.

A longer wait for American citizenship?

Advocates and members of the U.S. Congress are expected to have questions and require additional information as the Biden Administration completes a trial for the new exam. With the concern of creating barriers with the updated citizenship test, it may become harder for immigrants with limited English skills to become U.S. citizens. As USCIS moves forward with the updates, people hope for an approach that is balanced and fair for all.

Moreover, the integration of the country’s culture and history through the introduction of these changes may have a good impact. Experts say it is essential to strike a balance between the current and new updates to ensure diversity in the pool of applicants.