18,800 People Became Australian Citizens in One Day

Amy Ying Yee Ting has lived in Australia longer than she lived in Malaysia, but Monday was the day it became official. She was among 18,800 people who became Australian citizens in over 300 ceremonies held across the country.

"I have chosen this place, and this place has chosen me," Ting told reporters after her ceremony in Canberra. She called it a "magical moment."

The 23 new Australians at Canberra's ceremony came from different corners of the world, but they shared something powerful: the decision to make Australia their permanent home. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the event, welcoming them to a country where "democracy is not just a platitude but something which is practiced."

Nationwide, the new citizens came from more than 150 countries. Each person brought their own story of why they chose Australia and what it means to finally call it home.

"Whether we are Australian by birth or by choice, we all share the opportunity, the privilege, and also the responsibility of being part of something quite extraordinary," Albanese told the group. "A nation built with hope and hard work, aspiration and determination, a society guided by freedom and fairness, compassion and courage."

The Ripple Effect

Recent surveys show that new Australians are enthusiastic about their adopted home. An AMES Australia survey of recent migrants and refugees found that nearly 80 percent of respondents said having a national day is important to them.

Most newcomers planned to mark the day, seeing it as an opportunity to celebrate their new beginning. The citizenship ceremonies represented not just legal documents changing hands, but thousands of people choosing to weave their lives into Australia's future.

For people like Ting, the ceremony marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another. The choice to become Australian means choosing to contribute, to belong, and to build something together with millions of others who've made the same decision across generations.

Eighteen thousand eight hundred new Australians in a single day is 18,800 stories of hope, belonging, and fresh starts.