Melinda Collinson, CEO AMES Australia

Citizenship record a measure of social cohesion

One of the important gauges of how Australia is faring as a cohesive and multicultural society is the take up of citizenship.

That migrants and refugees decide to take the oath and then go to the trouble of becoming citizens speaks to their own commitment to becoming part of Australian society and also to the welcoming nature of most Australians.

As we mark National Citizenship Day, it is heartening that in the financial year just gone, a record will be set for the number of people becoming Australian citizens.

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.

More than 6.2 million people have become Australian citizens since citizenship was introduced in 1949.

My organisation AMES Australia recently surveyed the cohort of Afghan refugees, with links to Australian government programs, who were airlifted out of Kabul following the return to power of the Taliban and who began arriving in Australia five years ago this month.

We supported many of these people after their arrival and have helped them begin new lives here.

More than 70 per cent of these Afghans have already become citizens, a process which typically takes around four years, and another 22 per cent are on pathways to become citizens.

These numbers tell a story about this group’s commitment to contributing to Australia and becoming full members of our society.

One family among the evacuated group was the that of Shafiqullah, a water engineer who was working on an Australian-funded program.

He and his family were evacuated after a long and hazardous ordeal in getting into Kabul’s airport.

Shafiqullah and his wife had the first baby born to this group of evacuees shortly after arrival and while still living in supported refugee accommodation.

The family, including son Ibrahim, now five, have all recently become citizens.

Shafiqullah said it was a privilege for his family to become Australians.

“We are very happy to become citizens of Australia. This country has given us new lives, and we want to show our gratitude,” he said.

“The citizenship ceremony was life affirming. It was a vast experience. We now feel like Aussies.

“My son and daughter will be able to have a good education and follow their dreams while also contributing to Australian society,” Shafiqullah said.

Several of my colleagues at AMES Australia have also recently become citizens.

One of them Khojista came to Australia in 2022 as refugee from Iran, where she faced discrimination and persecution as a member of an ethnic minority.

She says she now feels “recognised, respected and valued”.

“I’m excited. I feel like I now have the opportunity to build a future,” Khojista said.

“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 I’m an equal member of society, I have a voice and I am able to participate in the future of this country, 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,” Khojista said.

Shafiqullah and Khojista are not just numbers on a Home Affairs list of new citizens.

They are both working and paying taxes. They are active in their local communities, and they are committed to their new homeland.

Citizenship is emblematic of the democratic, egalitarian and rule of law principles on which Australia was founded. And it is a marker of rights and responsibilities, including the ability to vote and the capacity to take part in the national conversation.

Most importantly citizenship is also a badge. One that says: ‘I belong here, and I am Australian.