Australian Defence Force to Recruit Non-Citizens to Patch up Personnel Shortages

New recruitment policy will apply to eligible New Zealanders from July 2024 and permanent residents from other countries from January 2025.

Australian Army personnel are seen loading a CH-47 Chinook in Townsville, Australia, on Jan. 5, 2020. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

The Labor government has given the green light for non-citizens to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in a bid to address recruitment shortfalls.

On June 4, the government revealed details of an expansion plan to recruit more defence personnel as part of the national defence strategy introduced in April.