New Zealanders residing in Australia for four years or more can now apply directly for citizenship.
Australia has announced plans to make it easier for hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders living in the country to become Australian citizens.
"We know many New Zealanders are here on a special category visa while raising families, working and building their lives in Australia. So I am proud to offer the benefits that citizenship provides," Mr Albanese said in a statement.New Zealand's Chris Hipkins, who is due to visit Brisbane on Sunday, hailed the changes as "the biggest improvement in the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia in a generation".
In 2001, a special category visa was introduced restricting New Zealanders' access to certain health and welfare support. "It takes away a level of uncertainty and if you do fall on hard times, you can lean on the government a bit more," he tells the BBC. "There was no path for me until now," she tells the BBC. The changes mean she can now get access to extra support if needed, such as housing grants, but it also means she is eligible to vote.
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