Information for New Zealanders living in Australia

New Zealanders rights in Australia being reviewed

New Zealand and Australian top ministers meet to discuss shared challenges in Sydney. Photo: RNZ/Anneke Smith
New Zealand and Australian top ministers meet to discuss shared challenges in Sydney. Photo: RNZ/Anneke Smith

Update

22 April 2023

Today the Albanese Labor Government announced that Non-protected Special Category Visa-holders who have resided in Australia for at least the past four years can apply directly for citizenship from the 1 July 2023 without needing to apply for a permanent visa.

Applicants must meet all other standard citizenship eligibility criteria.


08 July 2022

Anneke Smith - Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed to reviewing the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia, including the path to citizenship. Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement after the annual bilateral leadership meeting in Sydney today.

Albanese signalled work assessing how to give New Zealanders living in Australia an easier pathway to Australian citizenship would be complete by ANZAC Day 2023. It would also include considering whether New Zealanders in Australia could be given voting rights.

“We don't want people to be temporary residents forever. We'll be asking the Joint Standing Committee on electoral matters to consider whether there's a way to return to systems that have existed in the past of giving New Zealand people who are here in Australia - contributing to society, paying taxes, working - voting rights here in Australia as well.”

[Read the full Radio New Zealand article].

Related

Australian Labor support citizenship for all New Zealanders