CANBERRA, JUNE 4 Foreigners who have lived in Australia for at least 12 months will be eligible to join the nation’s armed forc es from 2025, the federal government has announced. Richard Marles, the min ister for defence and deputy prime minister, and De fence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh announced the initiative on Tuesday in Canberra, saying it would help grow the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Xi nhua news agency reported. Under the expanded eli gibility criteria, New Zea landers who are permanent residents of Australia and have lived in the country for at least 12 months will be able to join the ADF from July 1. Starting in 2025, citizens from all other countries who meet the same criteria will become eligible to serve in the ADF. Applicants must not have served in a foreign military in the previous two years and will be subject to ADF entry standards and security requirements. Keogh said in a joint statement with Marles that expanding eligibility would help reverse ADF recruit ment shortfalls. IANS