Federal Parliament this week will be presented with new laws which, if passed, would completely overhaul the country's citizenship process.
Labor is yet to decide whether it will back the law change, which would also give immigration ministers veto power over citizenship decisions made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton announced an overhaul of Australia's citizenship laws and policy a few months ago.
Among the law changes are controversial measures including a tougher Australian values quiz, and an expectation applicants can prove they've integrated into society, with permanent residents forced to wait four years before they can apply for citizenship.
The Immigration Minister says the plan to introduce a more stringent English language test has received overwhelming public support since the concept was flagged in 2015.
"We want those kids and those adults to be actively engaged in society and all of the research demonstrates that if people have the higher capacity, higher ability in terms of speaking and writing and listening and reading the English language, then they have a better opportunity to succeed whether it's at school, in the workplace or in society."
Mr Dutton says the changes are needed because Australians are living in a different age than they were less than a decade ago.
"I think it just highlights the need for us to make sure that we are granting citizenship to the right people, people that are going to work hard, are going to educate their children, are going to create a great life here in Australia, which is a great migrant story of our country."
Pino Migliorino from the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia, argues it's an unnecessary law change, particularly the introduction of a stronger language test.
"Australia is a country of immigration and forever we've not only received people, but allowed them to work and contribute regardless of their linguistic background. I know thousands and literally thousands of older Australians now who don't speak English well who've made an enormous contribution."
Among the changes Peter Dutton wants is the power to overrule the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, so that if it gives citizenship to someone despite a ruling from the Immigration Department, he can override it.
It's a power already granted to immigration ministers for visa decisions.
"It's an anomaly where a minister can cancel a visa, have that decision overturned by the AAT and then substitute a decision in place of the AAT decision but you can't do that in relation to the granting of citizenship."
The immigration minister can already appeal to the Federal Court if he doesn't agree with a decision of the tribunal.
Labor MP Andrew Leigh has told Sky News the party is waiting for the government to reveal the legislation before deciding how it will vote.
"When we see the detail of this we'll work it through but I think Peter Dutton is largely interested in his own power plays and less interested in the details of legislation. If he wasn't he would be public about the consultations and he would have given Labor a copy of the legislation weeks ago."
The government will need Labor and the crossbench on-side, because the Greens have already labelled it xenophobic and unfair.
