The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is set to permit recruits from foreign nations, including the UK, in a bid to bolster its ranks amid enlistment shortfalls and increasing regional threats.
Starting in July, New Zealand nationals who are permanent residents of Australia will be eligible to apply, with the program expanding next year to include recruits from the UK, the US, Canada, and other countries.
Minister for Defence Richard Marles emphasized that the revised eligibility criteria are “essential to meet the nation’s security challenges through the next decade and beyond.” He highlighted the longstanding “Anzac bond” between Australia and New Zealand, rooted in their joint efforts at Gallipoli during World War One.
Recent efforts to strengthen ties with the UK and the US, exemplified by the 2021 Aukus pact—a defense and security alliance aimed at countering Chinese military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region—reflect Australia’s strategic priorities. Additionally, Australia collaborates with the UK, US, Canada, and New Zealand in intelligence sharing through the Five Eyes alliance.
While the focus is on recruiting from these allied nations, Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh announced that starting January 1, any eligible permanent resident can apply.
Amid growing concerns over Beijing’s assertiveness, a strategic review of the ADF underscored the importance of expanding and retaining a highly skilled defense workforce. In 2020, the previous government committed A$38bn (£19.8bn; $25.4bn) to increase the number of uniformed personnel by 30% over two decades. However, low unemployment rates in Australia have made recruitment challenging, with the ADF currently short by approximately 4,400 personnel.
While Australia has previously accepted small numbers of military transfers from allied nations, the new eligibility rules aim to significantly expand the pool of potential recruits. Prospective recruits must meet ADF entry standards, security requirements, have been permanent residents of Australia for over a year, and must not have served in a foreign military in the past two years. They are also required to be eligible for Australian citizenship, which they will be expected to take up after 90 days of service, according to Keogh.
The opposition’s foreign affairs spokesman, Simon Birmingham, expressed conditional support for the plan but criticized the government’s defense strategy for potentially undermining confidence and morale within the defense force. “We want to see, ideally, Australians wearing the Australian uniform,” Birmingham told Sky News Australia.
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