CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
An Australian Government initiative to grow the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will see New Zealanders who call Australia home soon able to apply to join the ADF.
As outlined in the National Defence Strategy, Australian Defence must recruit, retain and grow a highly specialised and skilled workforce, said Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles.
To help achieve this, Defence is expanding the eligibility criteria to enable more people to join the ADF, including permanent residents who have been living in Australia for 12 months.
“Australia and New Zealand have a longstanding relationship – opening the Australian Defence Force to New Zealanders living in Australia will increase opportunities whilst strengthening our ANZAC bond,” said Mr Marles.
“The Australian Government has chosen to grow the Australian Defence Force because it is essential to meet the nation’s security challenges through the next decade and beyond.”
Under the expanded criteria, from July 2024, eligible New Zealanders who are living in Australia can apply to join the ADF.
Additionally, from January 2025, eligible permanent residents from the United Kingdom, United States and Canada will also be able to apply to join the ADF.
As well as meeting ADF entry standards and security requirements, permanent residents wishing to join the ADF must have lived in Australia for at least one year immediately prior to applying, not have served in a foreign military in the preceding two years, and be able to attain Australian citizenship.
“Our people are our most important capability, but reversing the Defence recruitment shortfalls of the last Government requires innovation – we’re being bold in order to grow the Australian Defence Force,” said Minister for Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh.
“Recruiting from a wider pool of people, will help ensure our Australian Defence Force reflects the full diversity of Australia and is able to draw on the talents of the entirety of Australian society.”
Defence is also streamlining the existing Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme, which allows the ADF to fill capability shortfalls by recruiting skilled military overseas applicants.
For more: www.adfcareers.gov.au.
