Over 15,000 New Zealanders Applied for Australian Citizenship in Just 6 Weeks:

The Australian Government’s recent introduction of a new citizenship pathway has resulted in a daily average of around

375 applications, with over 15,000 New Zealanders already applying for Australian citizenship in the last month.

According to the Guardian, of this particular group, around 500 people have passed the citizenship test and are on the verge of obtaining Australian citizenship. They will be attending ceremonies across the country in the coming days, reports Divine Associates Ltd. That came into force on 1 July, allow holders of special category visas to pursue Australian citizenship directly, bypassing the requirement to obtain permanent Australian residency first.

This means you must meet a four-year residency requirement. Almost 35 per cent of applications came from Queensland, while Victoria (30 per cent) and New South

Wales (20 per cent) trailed in terms of the number of applications. Prior to 2001, New Zealanders entering Australia automatically obtained permanent resident status; However, changes made by the Howard government resulted in new migrants being given a specialized category visa.

This agreement allowed New Zealanders to establish permanent residence and employment in Australia while limiting their entitlement to Medicare and social assistance.

In addition, the acquisition of a permanent residence permit before acquiring citizenship has become mandatory. There are currently around 670,000 New Zealanders on special visas in Australia, including more than 380,000 who arrived

after 2001 and are eligible for later citizenship.

“Fifteen thousand of our closest friends have applied to become Australian, in just forty days since the change of Albanian government to create a fairer path to citizenship for New Zealanders in our community,” said Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles up.

Giles also stressed that the changes planned for 1 July were designed to provide assistance to large numbers of people who have lived and worked in Australia for many years and have actively contributed to local communities.

Furthermore, Chris Hipkins, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, has enthusiastically embraced these changes, considering them the most important in a generation. He also expressed his belief that these changes would substantially change the lives of many people who have chosen Australia as their new home. After meeting with Anthony Albanese in Brisbane in April, Hipkins added that a significant number of New Zealanders living in Australia are facing a difficult situation.

According to him, New Zealand has long advocated equal treatment for its citizens and seeks arrangements that reflect the reciprocity afforded to Australians living in New Zealand.