The Australian government’s recent introduction of a new citizenship pathway has led to a daily average of around 375 applications, with over 15,000 New Zealanders having already applied for Australian citizenship within the last month.
According to the Guardian, of this particular group, about 500 persons have effectively passed the citizenship test and are on the verge of obtaining Australian citizenship. They are scheduled to attend ceremonies across the country in the upcoming days, VisaGuide.World reports.
The changes that came into effect on July 1 enable special category visa holders to pursue Australian citizenship directly, bypassing the requirement to first obtain permanent Australian residency. This means meeting a four-year residency requirement.
Almost 35 per cent of submissions came from Queensland, with Victoria (30 per cent) and New South Wales (20 per cent) trailing in the number of applications.
Prior to 2001, people coming from New Zealand entering Australia were automatically granted permanent resident status; however, modifications implemented by the Howard government led to new migrants to be assigned a specialist category visa.
This agreement allowed New Zealanders to establish permanent residency and employment in Australia, while imposing restrictions on their entitlement to Medicare and welfare benefits. Additionally, it mandated the acquisition of permanent residency before pursuing citizenship.
Currently, there are about 670,000 New Zealanders residing in Australia under special category visas, including over 380,000 who arrived after 2001 and are eligible for eventual citizenship.
“Fifteen thousand of our closest friends have applied to become Aussies in only 40 days since the Albanese government’s change to create a fairer pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders in our community,” Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles pointed out.
Giles also noted that the changes planned for July 1 were designed to provide assistance to a host of individuals who have spent years living and working in Australia, actively contributing to local communities.
Moreover, Chris Hipkins, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, enthusiastically embraced these changes earlier, considering them the most important in a generation. He also expressed his belief that these changes would essentially transform the lives of many persons who have chosen Australia as their new home.
After a meeting with Anthony Albanese in Brisbane in April, Hipkins added that a significant number of New Zealanders living in Australia were facing a challenging situation. According to him, New Zealand has long advocated for equal treatment for its citizens and has sought agreements that reflect the reciprocity offered to Australians residing in New Zealand.
>> Australia Announces Significant Changes to Its Migration System