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Australia to allow foreign citizens into its army

Army Recruits - Level 0

Americans and people from the UK will soon be able to join Australia's army. Australia needs around 4,400 new workers to join the army. Only people who are permanent residents in Australia can apply to join the army. Australia said people from other countries could join in the future.

Australian needs people because "it is essential to meet the nation's security challenges". A spokesperson said: "Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure [the army] reflects the full diversity of Australia." The opposition party said: "We should be seeing more Australians with the confidence to sign up."

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Army Recruits - Level 1

Americans will soon be able to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Australia needs more people to join its army. The government hopes that getting people from other countries will solve this problem. The ADF needs around 4,400 workers. Only Americans who are also permanent residents in Australia can apply. Australia's Defence Minister, Richard Marles, said it was possible that in the future, people from more countries could join.

Mr Marles said Australia is growing the ADF "because it is essential to meet the nation's security challenges through the next decade and beyond". The Defence Ministry said: "Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure [the ADF] reflects the full diversity of Australia." The opposition party disagreed with the policy. It said it showed the government has failed. It said: "We should be seeing more Australians with the confidence to sign up."

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Army Recruits - Level 2

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British, Canadian, American and New Zealand people will soon be able to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Australia is having problems getting people to join its army. The government hopes that opening up to people from other countries will solve its recruitment problem. The ADF needs around 4,400 workers. Only those who are permanent residents in Australia (who have lived there for a year) can apply. Australia's Defence Minister, Richard Marles, said it was possible that in the future, people from more countries could join.

Mr Marles said: "The Australian Government has chosen to grow the Australian Defence Force because it is essential to meet the nation's security challenges through the next decade and beyond." The Defence Ministry said: "We're being bold in order to grow the ADF. Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure [the ADF] reflects the full diversity of Australia." The opposition Foreign Minister disagreed with the policy. He said it showed the government's failure. He said: "We should be seeing more Australians with the confidence to sign up."

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Army Recruits - Level 3

Australia will soon allow non-Australians into its army. People from countries such as the UK, Canada and New Zealand can apply to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Australia is having problems getting people to sign up for its army. The government hopes that opening the army up to people from other countries will solve its recruitment problem. The ADF currently has a shortage of around 4,400 workers. From July, New Zealanders who are permanent residents in Australia can apply to join. Next year, those from the UK, US and Canada will have their chance. Australia's Defence Minister, Richard Marles, said it was possible that in the future, people from more countries could join.

Mr Marles said his country was changing its recruitment policy for security reasons. He said: "The Australian Government has chosen to grow the Australian Defence Force because it is essential to meet the nation's security challenges through the next decade and beyond." A Defence Ministry spokesperson said: "We're being bold in order to grow the ADF. Recruiting from a wider pool of people will help ensure [the ADF] reflects the full diversity of Australia, and is able to draw on the talents of [all] of Australian society." Opposition Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham disagreed with the policy. He said it showed government failure. He said: "We should be seeing more Australians with the confidence to sign up."

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