Australia to recruit foreign nationals into armed forces

ISTANBUL

Foreign nationals with permanent residency in Australia will soon be able to join Australia’s military, local media reported on Tuesday.

Only nationals from other members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network – the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand – who hold Australian permanent residency will be eligible.

The move will address a 4,400-person shortfall in the Australian Defense Force (ADF), according to ABC News.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said such a move was "essential" to meet the country's security challenges in years to come.

New Zealand citizens, who have permanent residency and have been living no less than a year in Australia, will be able to join the ADF from July.

Canadian, US, and UK nationals, who meet the same requirement, will also be eligible to join the ADF ranks from January next year.