One of the most challenging parts of moving to another country is the loss people feel when they leave behind loved ones. For many people, leaving their ageing parents behind when they move to Australia is a deep concern. Will their parents be adequately taken care of? Who will be able to help if there is an emergency? How often will you get to see each other?
These are all genuine worries, which is why so many people moving to Australia wish to take their parents with them. However, the influx of immigrants in the recent past has meant that bringing your parents with you when you emigrate is not as easy as it once was.
We sat down with the experts at Migrate2Oz to find out the best ways to get Mum and Dad to the land Down Under.
Visitor visas
In the short term, it may be worthwhile investigating getting your parents over to Australia on a visitor visa. There are three- six- and twelve-month visitor visas available.
Making their first visit more short-term will enable them to see if they like the country before they go to the trouble of deciding to settle there. It will also allow your parents to find areas that best suit their lifestyle needs.
Permanent residence for parents of children in Australia
The only visa that will give a parent or parents permanent residence is the Contributory Parent Visa.
The Contributory Parent Visa
The requirements for this visa are:
• Half or more than half of the applicant’s children are resident in Australia as citizens or permanent residents
• The sponsoring child is ‘settled’ in Australia
The 870 – Sponsored Parent Visa
This recently-added visa will require adequate health insurance and will allow up to a maximum of ten years of cumulative stay permitted (3+3 or 5+5 years).
The parent or parents must leave Australia for 90 consecutive days before making the second application. People are not allowed to work on this visa.
The fine print
The parent must be sponsored by their child who is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident who has been usually resident in Australia for four years. Only two parents can be sponsored at any one time. The sponsor must have a minimum household taxable income threshold of $83,454.80 per annum.
No balance of family test will be applied, and no sponsorship bond will be required. The sponsored parents will be required to maintain adequate health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia. The sponsors will be required to pay in full any outstanding public health debts incurred by their parent.
Are you ready to take the next step? By completing the free online visa assessment on the Migrate2Oz website, you will receive free advice on your visa eligibility, visa options and the next key steps.
