Defence Personnel Minister says ‘we’re being bold in order to grow the Australian Defence Force’

The Albanese government is changing the rules to allow foreign citizens from overseas to join the Australian Defence Force in a bid to tackle a recruitment crisis. See who can join up.

Foreign citizens, including New Zealanders and permanent residents from the UK, US, Canada and Pacific island nations, will be able to join the Australian Defence Force in a move to tackle the nation’s military recruitment crisis.

The Herald Sun can reveal the Albanese government will expand eligibility criteria to enable more people to join the ADF, including permanent residents who have been living in Australia for 12 months and who pass relevant security checks and entry standards.

Under expanded criteria, from next month eligible Kiwis who are living in Australia will be able to apply to join the ADF and, from January 2025, permanent residents from the UK, US and Canada will also be able to apply.

AUKUS partner countries and New Zealand and Canada will form the initial foreign recruitment focus while Pacific Island nationals such as Fijians and Papua New Guineans will also be invited from 2025, with hopes more than 350 foreign soldiers and sailors will be added to the ADF ranks this coming financial year.

The move to expand eligibility criteria is aimed at tackling the military recruitment crisis. Picture: Glenn Campbell

As well as meeting ADF entry standards and security requirements, permanent residents wishing to join the ADF must have lived in Australia for at least one year immediately prior to applying, not have served in a foreign military in the preceding two years and be able to attain Australian citizenship.

Over several years, it’s hoped that several thousand foreign nationals will be able to bolster ADF numbers and, while Australian citizenship is not being actively promoted as an inducement, recruitment prerequisites include eligibility for Australian citizenship.

“Australia and New Zealand have a longstanding relationship – opening the Australian Defence Force to New Zealanders living in Australia will increase opportunities whilst strengthening our ANZAC bond,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told the Herald Sun.

While the ADF has a history of accepting small numbers of military transfers from a range of allied and friendly nations, the new recruitment push is aimed at helping fill the ADF’s operational gap, which is now believed to have reached beyond 5000 below its uniformed operational strength target.

Under the changes, the ADF is also streamlining the existing Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme, which allows the ADF to fill capability shortfalls by recruiting skilled foreign military applicants.

AUKUS partner countries and New Zealand and Canada will form the initial foreign recruitment focus.

“Our people are our most important capability, but reversing the defence recruitment shortfalls of the last government requires innovation – we’re being bold in order to grow the Australian Defence Force,” Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh said.

“Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure our Australian Defence Force reflects the full diversity of Australia and is able to draw on the talents of the entirety of Australian society.”

Under the ADF’s Force Structure Plan, released in 2020, a $38bn expansion goal was set to increase uniformed personnel by around 30 per cent by 2040, taking the total permanent ADF from about 57,000 active full-time to almost 80,000 personnel.

Richard Marles with his AUKUS counterparts, United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III and United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps MP.

But despite at least $30m spent a year on ADF recruitment, only 80 per cent of targeted growth is being achieved.

Military analyst Dr Anthony Bergin, of Strategic Analysis Australia, has long called for Australia to raise a ‘Melanesian foreign legion,’ with invitation for form several companies within the ADF filled by Pacific island volunteers who would, after three to four years service, be offered Australian citizenship.

Despite improved ADF pay and conditions, including a $50,000 continuation bonus for junior ranks to re-sign for a further three years after initial service obligations, enhanced study opportunities and health benefits, this year’s National Defence Strategy road map described the ADF as facing a “workforce crisis” and called for “widening eligibility criteria,” including “options to recruit, where appropriate, non-Australian citizens” for our armed services.