Australian Citizenship Waiting Times and Delays 2017 to 2018.
Recent News Reports show that there are 236,694 applications waiting for Australian Citizenship as at 30th December 2018, a massive increase from the almost 81,000 applications in the pipeline at 30th June 2017.
Such a rise is astronomical, but how has it happened?
The Department of Home Affairs has attributed the delay in processing to an increase in demand for Australian citizenship and an increase in the number of cases requiring “complex identity assessment”. This last part being caused by an enhanced focus on “integrity and community safety”.
How do the Australian Citizenship application numbers really look?.
How many Citizenship Applications were finalised between 30th June 2017 and 30th December 2018?
During July 2018 to December 2018, 72,647 applications that were finalised, with a total of 64,015 people becoming Australian citizens by conferral.
During July 2017 to June 2018, a total of 80,649 people became Australian citizens by conferral. I estimate from maybe 91,500 applications that were finalised.
So, from a starting point of 81,000 in the Queue, we remove the 72,647 and 91,500 that were finalised, to end up with a figure of negative 83,147.
There must therefore have been 319,841 applications lodged during that 18 month period, to end up with the 236,694 applications that are still waiting for Australian Citizenship as at 30th December 2018.
- 81,000 applications in the queue at 30th June 2017
- 319,841 (approx) applications lodged … (17,770 applications per month on average)
- 164,147 (approx) applications finalised (72,647 + 91,500)
- 236,694 applications in the queue at 31st December 2018
One report states:
In spite of an increase in the number of applications finalised till October 2018, the wait time for citizenship approvals has blown out by several months. Waiting times have gone up from 14 months to 18 months.
However, the headline could also read “In spite of the massive increase in the number of applications, the wait time for citizenship approvals has ONLY blown out by a few months, from 14 months to 18 months.
Google Searches on the old Immigration website (no longer active), show;
- In 2017-18, a total of 80,649 people become Australian citizens by conferral … (6,705 per month on average)
- In 2016-17, a total of 137,750 people become Australian citizens by conferral … (11,480 per month on average)
- In 2015-16, Over 133,000 people become Australian citizens by conferral … (11,083 per month on average)
and from the above figures for the 18 months July 2017 to December 2018:
- 164,147 (approx) applications were finalised, with 144,664 grants (8,037 per month on average)
That is a reduction of about 3,000 grants per month over an 18 month period, counting for an increase of 54,000 on an average period waiting list. However, the waiting list has risen by over 150,000. This means that about 100,000 are the result of more applications than normal.
In 2014-15, 114,109 people sat the Australian citizenship test and 112,474 passed. (9,373 per month on average)
Australian Citizenship Processing Time.
Currently, for the month ending 31 December 2018, 75% of applications were processed in 17 months or under. 10% took over 20 months.
In October 2018, it was 75% of applications were processed in 18 months or under. 10% took over 20 months.
In March 2016, it was 75% of applications were processed in 12 months or under.
There is also a waiting period between the Citizenship application and the Citizenship Grant Ceremony, and this causes a larger waiting time from application to ceremony, as shown below:
The current processing time for Australian Citizenship Grants by conferral is:
- 75% had their Citizenship Ceremony in 20 months or less in December 2018.
- 15% were between 20 months and 25 months.
- 10% were took over 25 months.
- These are the times for lodgement of application to the Citizenship Ceremony.
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