There will be a streamlined pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia. These new arrangements will give many New Zealanders permanent residence status and enable them to apply for Australian citizenship.
The new visa pathway will be available from 1 July 2017, for New Zealand citizens who arrived post 26 February 2001, but on or before, the date of the announcement, 19 February 2016, if they meet the following criteria:
- have been living in Australia for five years;
- have been earning at least the equivalent to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) for the qualifying period; and
- passing mandatory health, character and security checks.
The pathway will be made available within the Skilled Independent category of the General Skilled Migration stream of Australia’s annual Migration Programme.