The US citizenship test, officially known as the Naturalization test, is an examination that an applicant has to take to become a naturalized American citizen. This test is not for green card holders unless they are applying for citizenship. The new director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service said the existing test is too easy and the answers can be memorized. The Donald Trump administration is planning to bring back the 2020 version of the test.
US Citizenship test
First, the applicants have to submit Form N-400 seeking for naturalization. They need to pass a background check and meet residency and other requirements. Then there have to attend an interview where they take two tests: English and a civic test. In the civic test, there are 100 questions; the officer asks the applicant 10 and the applicant must answer at least six correctly. During the first term of Donald Trump, there was a new rule for a very brief time where there are 128 questions; applicants are asked 20 and they must get at least 12 right. The USCIS is planning to bring back some version of this type of test. Before 2008, the test was random but the Bush administration introduced the 6 out of 10 questions benchmark. USCIS director said the present version is not really “comforting with the spirit of the law”.
Sweeping H-1B changes
The development regarding the US citizenship test comes as the Department of Homeland Security proposed sweeping changes for the H-1B visa program that allows US companies to hire foreign workers. According to the proposed changes, H-1B will not be for entry-level workers. It will be only for high-skilled jobs for which there will higher salary. If this becomes implemented, US graduates will not lose out jobs in the entry level and tech companies will not be able to hire foreign workers at a lower wage.
