British army lifts restriction

Citizens of Commonwealth countries will be able to join the British armed forces even if they do not live in Britain, the government said yesterday as it struggles to fill vacancies.

Britain's junior defence minister Mark Lancaster said in a statement to parliament that the previous five-year residency requirement for Commonwealth army recruits has been removed.

"Applications will be accepted from all Commonwealth countries," Lancaster said in his statement, adding that the reform had been introduced "in light of changes to the size of our armed forces".

Lancaster said that Commonwealth applicants would have to be aged over 18 -- two years more than the minimum for Britons -- so as "to mitigate the risks associated with unaccompanied minors travelling to the UK without the guarantee of a job".