Certificate exempting Ron Shun Wah from the dictation test, 1932

The Immigration Restriction Act 1901 was one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the Australian Government, after the six Australian colonies federated. The Act gave immigration officers the power to make any non-European migrant sit a 50-word dictation test. This was initially given in any European language, and after 1905 in any prescribed language. As the language chosen for the dictation test was at the discretion of the immigration officer, it was easy to ensure failure for migrants deemed undesirable.