Australia has opened its military to permanent residents from four allied nations, allowing eligible non-citizens to serve in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) without first becoming Australian citizens
New Zealanders in Australia were able to apply from July 2024, while those holding permanent residency from the UK, US, and Canada became eligible from January 2025.
Who qualifies to enlist Beyond satisfying standard ADF entry criteria, prospective applicants must meet three additional conditions: they must have resided in Australia for at least one year immediately before applying, they must not have served in a foreign military within the two years before their application, and they must be capable of obtaining Australian citizenship in the future.
Group Captain Chris Ellison, Director of Military Recruiting at Defence Force Recruiting, said the change closed a gap that had existed for years.
“For many years, Defence Force Recruiting personnel have been approached by New Zealand permanent residents expressing their keen interest to serve the nation that had adopted them, but we had been unable to accept their applications,” he said.
“I am very pleased that ADF Careers can now help New Zealanders who have made a clear commitment to call Australia home to make their impact through service in the ADF.”
The strategic case for wider recruitment Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh framed the decision as a deliberate effort to address recruitment shortfalls. “We’re being bold in order to grow the Australian Defence Force,” he said, adding that drawing from a broader pool would help the force reflect the full diversity of Australian society.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the policy would simultaneously strengthen alliances with close partners, noting that welcoming New Zealanders into the ADF would deepen the longstanding Anzac bond while growing overall force numbers.
He described expanding the military workforce as essential to meeting Australia’s security demands over the next decade and beyond. The government said the expanded eligibility supports the National Defence Strategy’s objective of building and retaining a highly skilled workforce.
Alongside the new recruitment pathway, the ADF also intends to streamline its Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme, which allows the military to fill capability gaps by bringing in personnel who have already served in foreign armed forces.