AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Sixtieth Anniversary of Australia Citizenship

Friday, 29 May 2009

2009 marks the sixtieth anniversary of Australian Citizenship, which was introduced in 1949 following the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948. Before this time most Australians were British subjects.

In 1949, almost 2500 people from more than 35 countries became Australian citizens, most of who were from Italy, Poland, Greece, Germany and Yugoslavia.

Over the last 60 years, more than 4 million people have become Australian citizens, with more than 95 per cent of the nation’s population being Australian Citizens. Australian Citizenship is celebrated annually on Australian Citizenship Day, September 17.

Today, more than 120 000 people from more than 200 countries became Australian citizens in the 2007-2008 year. Below is a list of figures from each state:

• New South Wales - 45 000
• Victoria - 30 700
• Queensland -17 400
• Western Australia - 17 000
• South Australia - 6 300
• Australian Capital Territory - 2 500
• Tasmania - 900
• Northern Territory - 600

Most of these people were from the United Kingdom, India, China, New Zealand and South Africa.

If you are interested in Visas to Australia, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Australia.