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Australia Still Facing Troop Shortage Despite 64,000 Applications in 2024: Report

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to struggle with a “massive” troop shortage despite receiving tens of thousands of applications last year, according to Australian journalist James Willis.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Willis revealed that around 64,000 people applied for the ADF last year, exceeding the military’s current number of active-duty personnel.

“We can’t get them out the other end,” he explained, emphasizing that the ADF is “meant to have this massive shortage of troops.”

Willis also claimed that the Australian military has outsourced its recruitment process to a Swiss firm under a $1.3-billion contract.

While he did not name the company, Willis stated that it has been underperforming, causing many applicants to abandon the process.

A Persistent Challenge

Workforce shortage has been a persistent challenge for the ADF, prompting the government to prioritize the issue at a national level.

A competitive labor market, coupled with low unemployment rates, is believed to be affecting the military’s recruitment efforts.

As of June 2024, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute reports that the ADF has approximately 90,000 personnel, including reserves.

This is significantly lower than its near-peer adversaries, China and North Korea, which have an estimated two million and 1.28 million troops, respectively.

In response, Canberra has implemented several measures to boost recruitment, such as offering cash bonuses to attract more candidates.

Additionally, the ADF has expanded recruitment to non-citizens who have been residing in the country for at least 12 months.

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