WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced a plan to fast-track citizenship for millions of temporary visa holders.
OUR VERDICT
False. The minister has made no such announcement.
AAP FACTCHECK - Australia's immigration minister has not announced a plan to fast-track citizenship for millions of temporary visa holders, despite claims online.
The claim is one of several that emerged following Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's appearance on a podcast.
Other claims include that he announced he wants to, or will, grant citizenship to all 2.9 million temporary visa holders in Australia.
He made no such claims during the recording, and a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs confirmed no such plans are afoot.
"Tony Burke has openly declared it: no more 'guest workers,'" one Facebook post reads.
"Anyone on a temporary visa who wants to stay gets fast-tracked to full Australian citizenship. All 2.9 million of them."
Another post claims the minister announced he will grant citizenship to all temporary visa holders, while a third post claims he said he wants to grant citizenship to nearly three million temporary visa holders.
A further post claims the federal government has introduced "sweeping new immigration powers giving the Immigration Minister the ability to fast-track temporary visa holders into Australian citizenship".
The posts reference an interview Mr Burke gave to Indian Link, an Australian media outlet focusing on the South Asian community.
In the interview, he is asked what actions the government has taken to reduce the number of people stuck permanently on temporary visas (timestamp 11 minutes 40 seconds).
Mr Burke said he does not want Australia to have a "guest worker" economy where migrant workers lack a pathway to citizenship.
"People who are going to continue to be here and are working here should have an opportunity to become fully part of Australia's democracy," he said.
At no point in the interview does he say the government plans to fast-track citizenship for temporary visa holders or that all 2.9 million temporary visa holders will be given citizenship.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that the government has no such plans.
"The Minister for Home Affairs has no plans to approve citizenship to all temporary visa holders but is focused on clear and equitable pathways to permanent residency," a spokesperson told AAP FactCheck.
To be eligible for citizenship, a person must live in Australia on a valid visa for four years, including a permanent visa for the last 12 months, according to Section 22 of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.
They must not be absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total over the four years, and no more than 90 days in the 12-month period prior to applying.
There are some exceptions to these time frames, but these only apply in limited circumstances.
Section 22A of the act allows the minister to grant citizenship to a person who has resided in the country for only two years, provided they have been a permanent resident for that period and if citizenship is required for them to participate in an activity or event considered to be "of benefit to Australia".
These activities and events are strictly prescribed in secondary legislation and include Olympians, international tennis and cricket players and high-level government officials.
Section 22B, meanwhile, provides an exemption for people working in jobs that require regular overseas travel.
These include ship or aircraft crew members, executives of major companies, scientists, medical specialists or individuals on a talent visa for work in the academic, arts or sports industries.
Last year, the government passed legislation that gave the minister discretion to approve citizenship under Section 22A without the applicant having to have spent 180 days in the country in the previous two years.
This was in response to a request from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and Paralympics Australia, according to a press release from the organisations.
In all these cases, the applicant must be a permanent resident, so these exemptions do not apply to people on temporary visas.
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