CANBERRA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of migrants to Australia awaiting citizenship has risen 600 percent under the current government.
According to data from the Department of Home Affairs published by Fairfax Media on Thursday the number of residents waiting to be approved for citizenship has grown from 27,000 to 189,000 since the current government took power in September 2013.
A vast majority of that growth has occurred since Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull defeated his predecessor Tony Abbott for leadership of the party in 2015.
Migrants on the waiting list have been lift without access to student loans, Australian passports or the right to vote. They have also been unable to apply for jobs in the public sector where they require security clearance.
Approximately 190,000 migrants apply to become Australian citizens every year but only 130,000 receive approval each year.
Julian Hill, a member of parliament (MP) for the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), on Thursday put forward a motion at parliament calling for Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge to explain "the enormous, inexplicable and unconscionable delays."
Tudge told Fairfax Media that there were a number of factors.
"First, the demand for citizenship has never been higher. Second, there are much greater national security threats today than before," he said.
Atul Vidhata, a 31-year-old Fijian migrant who emigrated a decade ago, said he was told he would have to wait 17 months for a decision on his citizenship application.
He said that some migrants were afraid to use Medicare, Australia's universal health care system, for fear it would negatively affect their chances of getting citizenship.
"It is part of the narrative and permanent residents are starting to believe if you commit the smallest infraction, like getting a parking fine you will get deported, others think if you use Medicare they won't make you an Australian citizen," Vidhata told Fairfax.
"It turns into a bitterness. People shouldn't be denying themselves healthcare because they are worried it will impact their ability to be a good citizen."
