Login / Join
Australian Immigration News 28 January 2020
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- SBS reports that demand for Australian citizenship is declining, with the number of people applying for citizenship dropping to its lowest level since 2014. 138,000 people lodged an application to become Australian citizens in 2018-19, a 42 per cent decrease from the year before.
- Daily Mail Australia reports that New Zealanders living in Australia are pushing for changes to make it easier for people from New Zealand to get Australian citizenship. Campaign group Kiwis in Australia is pushing for a class action lawsuit over the current laws, and is calling on actor Russell Crowe to join its cause.
- The Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser reports that French backpacker Ben Giuffrida has suggested amending Australia's working holiday visa arrangements, to allow backpackers to take part in bushfire recovery efforts in order to meet their visa conditions. Many backpackers in Australia are currently required to spend at least 88 days working in a rural area to meet their visa conditions.
Demand for Australian citizenship is dropping - here's why
SBS.COM.AU, Other, 26/01/2020, Rosemary Bolger
Tens of thousands more migrants will officially call themselves Australians from 26 January, with hundreds of citizenship ceremonies held around the country, but an increasing number of people are either unable or unwilling to take up the privilege.
We want to be Aussie, bro! Australian-based New Zealanders claim they are being 'discriminated' against and call on Russell Crowe to back a class action lawsuit to change citizenship laws and give them the dole and right to vote
Daily Mail Australia, Other, 28/01/2020, Alisha Rouse For Daily Mail Australia
New Zealanders claiming they are being racially discriminated against while living in Australia want a Hollywood star to join a potential class action lawsuit. The expats say'racist laws' give them 'inferior rights', including not being able to vote, receive Centrelink payments or obtain student loans.
Backpacker says changing visa rules could help charities rebuild
Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser, Other, 24/01/2020, Jody Lindbeck
Young backpackers visiting Australia for working holidays could be recruited to help the rebuilding efforts in bushfire-affected areas, says a French visitor. But, says Ben Giuffrida, the most successful way to make sure such a plan worked would be to amend working holiday visa arrangements and allow young backpackers to help recognised charities.
‘Looking forward to visa-free travel to most countries': More than 27000 migrants conferred citizenship on Australia Day
SBS.COM.AU, Other, 27/01/2020, Mosiqi Acharya
On early Sunday morning, more than a hundred people gathered at City of Kingston’s Australia Day 2020 celebration in Melbourne’s South-East. Among this large group were families who were there to take the oath and become Australian citizens.
