Since 2001, New Zealanders have been able to live and work in Australia indefinitely on a Special Category Visa, but getting permanent residency and citizenship has been a long, difficult and expensive processes. Some changes were made in 2016, but these still didn’t make getting citizenship, and the rights it gives, any easier.
Practically, it has meant New Zealanders in Australia have been unable to access benefits such as student loans or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (our ACC), join the Defence Force, or vote.
