Australia welcomed a record number of new citizens in the last financial, according to new data.

The Department of Home Affairs has not yet released the full number of new citizens for 2025-26 but in the first half of the year 137,231 people were granted citizenship.

That compares with 165,193 in the whole of 2024–25 – the highest on record.

The milestone comes as Australia marks National Citizenship Day and as the data shows more than 6.2 million people have become Australian citizens since citizenship was introduced in 1949.

Two of the new citizens are Khojista Hosaini and Yaser Joyan, who both received their citizenship certificates at civic ceremonies, say citizenship is an important a step in their life journeys.

Both are former refugees who now support other newly arrived refugees as case managers with migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia.

Khojista is from an Afghan family who came to Australia from Iran as a refugee Iran in 2022.

Speaking about her new status, she said the milestone made her feel “recognised, respected and valued”.

“I’m excited. I feel like I’m respected and valued and now have the opportunity to build a future,” said Khojista, a Case Manager and Client Support Worker.

“Becoming an Australian citizen is an incredibly emotional and proud moment for me. After years of living here as a Permanent Resident and building my life in Australia, citizenship finally gives me a deeper sense of belonging,” she said.

“It means being recognised, respected and valued as an equal member of society, having a voice, being able to participate in the future of this country, and having the freedom to live with dignity and be true to who I am. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunities Australia has given me, and incredibly proud and honoured to finally call myself Australian.”

Yaser came to Australia in 2021 after the fall of Kabul.

He grew up in military family based in Herat, in western Afghanistan. His family escaped to Iran and eventually came to Australia during the COVID lockdowns.

After spending two weeks in quarantine in Darwin, Yaser and his family moved to Melbourne and became clients of AMES.

After studying English and Community Services, he is now an AMES Case Manager at Footscray.

 “It’s very meaningful and makes me feel Australian,” Yaser said of his citizenship.

“It feels like the end of a five-year journey and I feel like I have come full circle.

“I’m proud of my Afghan heritage, background and language. And because I’m now an Australian, I am not leaving that behind, I will carry it with me into the future.

“Becoming an Australian citizen is a significant milestone in my life, but for me, it represents much more than citizenship. It represents a journey of resilience, opportunity, belonging and giving back.

“When I first arrived in Australia, I was an AMES client. Like many new arrivals, I was learning how to navigate a new country, understand a new system and build a new life. At that time, I was the person receiving support and guidance from others.

“I never imagined that one day I would return to AMES in a very different role.

“Today, I am proud to be an AMES Case Manager, supporting people who are beginning journeys that, in many ways, remind me of my own.

“Being able to move from receiving support to providing support is deeply meaningful to me. My own experience has given me a different perspective on what it means to welcome someone, listen to them, understand their challenges and help them recognise their own strengths and possibilities.

“For me, this is more than a career. It is a personal connection to the work I do.

“I am proud of my Afghan heritage, my culture and the values that have shaped who I am. Becoming an Australian citizen does not mean leaving those roots behind. It means carrying them with me as I continue to grow, contribute and build my future in Australia,” Yaser said.