Reserves and Citizenship
 

Hello everyone!

I'm interested in joining the Reserve forces in Australia. The positions in the Reserves are all part-time as far as I understood and go along with a normal job.
Apparently, there is also a provision of having to take Australian citizenship after six months of service. The citizenship site states that it is "six months of full-time service". What does 'full-time' mean in this case? Are there full-time positions within the Reserves?
I am not quite clear on this.

Also, how difficult is to transfer to another unit? I might be taking some contract positions across the country so might have to move every now and then. Can the transfer between units be automatic or is there an application process for an open position, etc., just like an ordinary job?

Thanks for any insight on this topic...

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

This is catch 22, your answer is you go away and spend 6 months as a full time soldier as once your in the reserves you can ask or be offered full time postings, the catch is you have to be an eligible PR who can apply for Citizenship now and and a recipect from diac before they will let you apply and all you are saving is $120 citizenship fee, they make you sign an undertaking your take citizenship with in 6 months once you join.

As you know it can take citizenship can take 6 months to process, this is how it was explained to me but this was a couple of years ago. Im sure someone else may says its different system now.

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

I've not been through the process yet but as explained to me you actually just need to have been on strength (which I understood at the time as having been formally attested) and to get your citizenship ceremony done within 6 months. ie you don't need to have done the equivalent of 6 months FTRS first.

If you are ex-UK Forces then be aware if you bring records of your qualifications some of them may well get recognised in Australia too, with the attendant benefits in terms of seniority etc.

I speculate entirely here on your point about parading with different units but I would imagine it's a fairly simple paperwork exercise - like it is here in the UK (he says with a due sense of irony). I gather that the Australian reserves are as undermanned as in the UK and hence it's unlikely you'll find a unit (unless you are a specialist) which doesn't have any slots.

Out of curiosity, what do you want to do in the Reserves?

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

Professionally, I'm in IT and communications. In the Army I was also in communications (signals, crypto, etc.). Long ago I was a radio amateur (HAM).
So, anything along those lines... :) Electronics equipment operator, IT, radio operator, whatever actually.
Would like to do something hi-tech with the Air Force but haven't really looked into which units are located in Melbourne vicinity yet.

Cheers,
and thanks for all the answers so far. Guess I'll have to talk to a recruiter when I land.

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

Well you've probably already seen:

http://www.defencejobs.gov.au

You may also want to peruse:

http://www.ausmil.com

though you'll have to register to be able to browse the forums. They are a dead friendly bunch though there aren't that many of them on there. One of them has all but arranged my transfer - all I need to do is pretty much turn up and sign for my kit!

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

Hello Mr Y

To join the reserves as a permenant resident, as has previously been said, you must sign an undertaking to become a citizen.

I'm not sure where this figure of 6 months comes from ( it could be after 6 months full time service you are eligibe to apply for citizenship and not have to wait the normal 2 years). But when I joined the reserves the undertaking I signed was to the effect that I would apply for my citizenship as soon as I became eligible.

Which in my case was 2 years. I've kept putting it off as I think it'll be a bit hard for them to call me up if I'm a foreigner. It's election year and Johney's spreading the boys out a bit thin around the globe trying to pick up a war. Good luck to him, it always makes good telly.

Keel

Re: Reserves and Citizenship
 

At the risk of going off-topic, what are the rules around mobilising reservists, and what sort of employer protection is on offer in the event of LSDI-type mass compulsory mobilisations?