In an attempt to reinforce the rights of migrants, nearly 380,000 citizens of New Zealand in Australia will no longer be required to obtain permanent residency first.
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As a result, those New Zealanders can apply for Australian citizenship without securing permanent residency first due to the recent changes that restore the rights of natives of the two countries.
Changes will soon be announced by the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, Immigration Minister, Andrew Giles, and Home Affairs Minister, Clare O’Neil. The announcement will be made ahead of a visit by Prime Minister of New Zealand, Chris Hipkins.
According to the changes, special category visa holders will be eligible to go for citizenship directly without obtaining the status of permanent residents from 1 July. However, those applicants would still have to fulfill a four-year residence and the rest of the eligibility criteria.
Currently, 670,000 New Zealanders are living in Australia as special category visa holders, out of which 380,000 individuals who came to the country after 2001 can apply for citizenship.
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