Australia’s full-time military workforce has reached its largest size in 25 years, with cash incentives helping the Australian Defence Force (ADF) grow to a total headcount of 64,192 permanent and full-time serving personnel.
The increase follows the introduction of the Continuation Bonus, which offers eligible permanent ADF members a payment of A$40,000 in return for an additional three years of service. The pilot scheme included a A$50,000 bonus.
More than 5,148 eligible personnel accepted the offer, including 1,768 who had been undecided or intending to leave. The scheme recorded an 82 per cent uptake among eligible members.
The bonus can be claimed twice at separate points in a career — after four years of service and again after seven years.
Australian Defence Force headcount rises
The initiative forms part of a A$1 billion investment by the Albanese Government aimed at increasing recruitment and retention. Measures include faster recruitment processes, efforts to identify skills gaps, improved benefits and service conditions, and wider eligibility criteria for joining the ADF.
During the 2025-26 financial year, more than 8,100 people enlisted, the highest intake in 16 years. The Air Force recruited 2,235 personnel, its strongest intake in 24 years, while 2,009 joined the Navy and 3,942 joined the Army.
The number of personnel leaving the ADF fell to 7.4 per cent, down from 7.9 per cent the previous year and the lowest rate in 15 years. The departure rate was 6.7 per cent in the Navy, 9.2 per cent in the Army and 5.1 per cent in the Air Force.
As of 1 July 2026, the permanent ADF headcount stood at 61,768, an increase of more than 2,800 on the previous year. A further 932 Gap Year personnel and 1,492 full-time serving reservists brought the total to 64,192.
The Navy has 16,489 personnel, compared with 29,870 in the Army and 17,833 in the Air Force.
Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government was focused on building the workforce required to keep Australians safe.
“The men and women who wear our nation’s uniform go to work every day to keep Australians safe,” he said. “That is why the Albanese Government is focused on recruiting, retaining and skilling the workforce we need.”
“We’ve already made significant progress, but we will continue to reform recruitment processes and retention initiatives over the long-term.”
The government wants to increase the ADF headcount to 69,000 by the early 2030s, while ministers acknowledge further work is needed.
Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said the workforce was growing as more people chose to join and existing personnel stayed for longer.
“Our most important Defence capability is our people, who serve our nation, striving to achieve the Defence mission, every day,” he said.
“In 2026 a career in the ADF can mean almost anything, with more than 300 roles to choose from. It’s fantastic to see more Australians coming forward to serve in such dynamic and rewarding careers.”
