Plug

Hello Folks,

Does anyone out there have any experience of applying for Oz Citizenship prior to the required two year stay? The reason I ask is that I worked in the defence industry back in the UK and have the possibility of doing the same work here in Oz but would require citizenship. I have been here on a PR visa for nearly a year and have an career opportunity that I'm keen to pursue.

Thanks for any advice offered.......

JAJ

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1027i.pdf

There may be scope for a concession if you need citizenship for employment purposes, it's the only remaining bar to employment and alternative employment is not available. But they do usually look for a minimum of a year's residence as a PR.

In some cases, PRs can be hired on a probationary basis pending citizenship being granted.

Not many people manage to obtain citizenship early.

BandS

I am not positive but I am fairly sure you have to wait for 2 years. I applied 2 years to the day I arrived here, but when I had my interview I was told that I had to wait an extra month as I had spent 4 weeks out of Australia on holiday.....so it had to be exactly 730 days.

Have a look on the internet. Sorry I could not be more help


Sharon

Naved

As JAJ said, very few have managed it. Now things are more difficult as they are planning to increase the requirement to 3 years. New law from January... Good LUCK !!!

hutchy

Arrived in Australia 5 Sep 2003 and I along with my children became citizens 11 Dec 2003. This was becasue I joined the RAN and it is a requirement to be an Australian citizen. You may find that certain defence jobs also require you to be a citizen so hopefully your citizenship would be gained earlier than the 2 year wait.

Regards

Terry

frogboy

I am currently working in the UK defence industry and will be moving to Brisbane at the beginning of October. I too have been looking at jobs within this industry around Brisbane and the biggest stumbling block is obviously citizenship although my current employer has a jobs going in Newcastle, NSW and Adelaide and these were originally ear marked for Oz citizens but they cannot fill them so now the government has given them permission to employ UK and US citizens as long as they take citizenship as soon as there 2 years is up. I was over in Newcastle a few weeks ago and got talking to a few people and it seems that they are struggling to fill these positions so hopefully the jobs in and around Brisbane will soon follow suit.

cheers

njk435

You can get citizenship early if you join the ADF - regular personnel can get citizenship after 90 days, reserves can get it after 6 months.

Obviously not much help to everyone, but worth considering for some...

see here:
http://www.citizenship.gov.au/becomi...s/eligible.htm

Plug

Thanks to all for a response, not sure I'm in a fit state for any time in the ADF !! Does anyone know if this new 3 year period will apply to those of us part way through the 2 year probabtion or just new arrivals???

moneypenny20

The word is that it will just be for people who haven't got PR when it comes in. Anyone else already with PR will just have to complete the two years. But it's still not "fact" as far as I know.