A New Zealand minister has raised concerns about an unexpected surge in migration to Australia, which could potentially undermine the country's migration slowdown plans. Since the Albanese government relaxed citizenship requirements for New Zealanders in July 2023, allowing them to become Australian citizens without first becoming permanent residents, there has been a 462% increase in applications. This has led to a significant number of New Zealanders, including those born in third-party nations, applying for Australian citizenship. The trend has sparked worries that Australia is being used as a stepping stone for migrants, and that New Zealand is losing its skilled workforce. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has warned that the country is being used as a gateway to Australia, and that the situation will worsen with the easing of migration rules in New Zealand, which will grant residency in just 18 months for some workers. This has raised doubts about Australia's ability to manage its migration levels and has prompted questions about the effectiveness of its immigration policies. The article also highlights the increase in overseas workers using mutual recognition agreements with New Zealand as a back door to avoid Australian regulations and gain employment. Despite this, Australia's Department of Home Affairs does not request information about the country of birth from applicants, relying instead on the Special Category Visa to assess their suitability. The situation has led to a debate about the impact of migration on both countries and the effectiveness of their respective immigration policies.
