75 Years of Australian Citizenship: A Nation Born of Migrants – Why Australia Tops the List of Countries with the Most Immigrants

The Evolution of Australian Citizenship: 75 Years On

Key Points:

The Australian Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1949, came into force on 26 January.
In 1949, 2,493 immigrants from 35 countries were granted Australian citizenship, with the majority from Italy, Poland, Greece, Germany, and Yugoslavia.
* As of 2024, the top citizenship recipients are immigrants from New Zealand and India.

A Shift in Demographics: 75 Years of Australian Citizenship

When Australia’s first citizenship ceremony took place in 1949, the largest number of Australians were granted citizenship by immigrants from Italy. That year, four years after the end of World War II, 2,493 immigrants, mostly from European countries, became Australian citizens. However, by 2024, the 75th anniversary of the introduction of Australian citizenship, the situation had changed. The top citizenship recipient in 2024 was an immigrant from New Zealand, followed by an immigrant from India.

Citizenship by the Numbers

As of August 31, 2024, 115,300 people have received Australian citizenship. Of these, 16,000, or 13.97%, were born in New Zealand, while more than 15,000, or 13.51%, were born in India.

Infographic: Top 5 Countries of Birth for Australian Citizens

A Milestone in Australian History

The Australian Nationality and Citizenship Act came into force on 26 January 1949. Since then, more than 6 million immigrants from over 200 countries have become Australian citizens. According to the census, more than half of the Australian population today was born overseas or has parents who were born overseas.

Citizenship in the 2023/24 Financial Year

Approximately 187,000 people received Australian citizenship in the 2023/24 financial year.