Indians top in acquiring Australian citizenship in 2019-20.
38,209 Indians became Australian citizens in 2019-2020 out of over 200,000 new citizenship holders. The second on the list was the Brits with 25,011 people followed by the Chinese and the Pakistanis.
In 2019-20, more than 38,000 Indians were granted citizenship by the Australian government, which is a 60 percent increase as compared to the previous year. This is the largest diaspora group to attain Australian citizenship.
More than 38,000 Indians conferred Australian citizenship:
Out of over 200,000 people who got Australian citizenship in 2019-20, the highest number on record were Indians with 38,209 people followed by the Britishers at 25,011. In the third and fourth positions were China and Pakistan with 14,764 and 8821 people respectively. Alan Tudge, Australia’s Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs, stated that citizenship was a crucial part of Australia’s success as a socially cohesive, multicultural nation. He said,” Becoming an Australian citizen means more than just living and working here – it’s a pledge of allegiance to our nation, our people and our values. When someone becomes a citizen, they make a pledge to uphold Australia’s rights, liberties, laws, and democratic values. It represents a willingness to integrate into our successful multicultural nation. Being an Australian citizen is an immense privilege, which brings both rights and responsibilities. I congratulate all those who have taken this important step.”
Citizenship interviews and tests resume amid the COVID-19 pandemic:
Over 60,000 people have been conferred citizenship after the Australian government started online proceedings during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. A small number of appointments for tests and interviews have already begun in Sydney and Perth, and the Department of Home Affairs is set to resume citizenship interviews by maintaining the Coronavirus health and safety norms.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2016 census, the Indian-origin population in Australia has increased to 2.8 percent of the total population.
