AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Australia gears up for Citizenship Day

Monday, 17 September 2007

Australia’s Citizenship Day takes place each September 17, with ceremonies across the country to celebrate the sense of pride surrounding Australian citizenship.

Inaugurated in 2001, Australian Citizenship Day is celebrated with ceremonies for new Australian citizens, picnics and a variety of different social gatherings.

Citizenship Day is also designed to encourage permanent residents to apply for Australian citizenship. Australian citizenship entitles people to participate fully in Australian civic life.

Over the past year, over 133 000 people from almost 180 countries around the world were granted Australian citizenship.