Long waiting times for citizenship processing branded as 'unacceptable'

Australia's migration sector has voiced concern as the processing times for Australian citizenship applications have become much longer amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: (AAP)/SBS

Figures from the Department of Home Affairs show 75 per cent of applications for citizenship by conferral from date of application to ceremony now take 23 months - up from 16 months last June.

Ninety per cent of these applications to become Australian citizens now take 25 months compared to 20 months a year ago.

In a statement, a department spokesperson told SBS News the pandemic had affected processing.