Defence is expanding the eligibility criteria to enable more people to join the ADF, including permanent residents from the Five Eyes (FVEY) countries who have been living in Australia for at least 12 months.
Under the expanded criteria, from July 2024, eligible New Zealanders who are living in Australia can apply to join the ADF.
Additionally, from January 2025, eligible permanent residents from the United Kingdom, United States and Canada will also be able to apply to join the ADF.
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, ideally within 90 days of joining the ADF according to Richard Marles the Minister for Defence.
"We'd be looking for Australian citizenship within the first 90 days of becoming a member of the Defence Force," Marles said.
Over 2024-2025, Marles added, Defence is looking to attract around 350 people through the scheme.
"We are targeting 350 people to join in the financial year 24-25. That is a relatively small number in terms of what we need to be doing going forward. And so in that sense, you know, we do hope that over time, we are able to grow this idea," he added.
Defence said that it is also "streamlining" the existing Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme, though it didn't provide detail as to what that means or how it will be accomplished.