April

Just realised the due date is 3 Dec for submission to 2022-23 migration program: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/how-to-engage-us/consultations/australias-22-23-migration-program I’ll still send out a submission today nonetheless!

If the cap 3600 for 143 visa remains, it’s not going to get any faster…. Everyone was telling me that with each migrant leaving Australia for their aged parents, there’re more people wanting to move to Australia. It’s probably true, but I’m sad to see some wonderful people leaving. Today I just learnt that my regular GP (who is also married to an Australian) is moving back to England with her husband and two young kids, as her Dad is unwell. She’s the GP for our whole family (my little one and myself really like her!) and I still remembered that we chatted “let’s hope the vaccine rate goes up and we can see our families soon”. Last year my good friend at work also moved back to Europe with his family to look after his in-laws. I hope the government will consider the importance of parents to skilled migrants when they think of the migration planning next year!

I’ve seen posts on other forum/social media too - people applied offshore in 2020 onwards now realised it would actually take more than 10 years to get the visa processed, if the current cap of 3600 remains. Given the 870 has a maximum period of 10 years which may not be enough before 143 can be processed, not to say the applicant needs to go offshore for 3 months to renew after the first 5 years, some people were publicly suggesting to get to Australia as a visitor then apply 804 onshore just to get BVA. This is quite unfair for the 143 applicants patiently waiting offshore. I didn’t get why the government needs 870 applicant to go offshore for 3 months to renew after the first 5 years, and only allows 10 year maximum. I would think 870 doesn’t use Medicare and hence would not incur much cost to taxpayers? Even people from countries with reciprocal medical arrangement would buy private health insurance anyway.

I was reading the 2021 intergenerational report today - that’s exactly what the report says, migrants will age themselves over time so migration alone is not the solution to ageing population. Apparently the fertility rate of 1.6 is what to blame; that also explains in part why partner visas are prioritised in family stream. The report does project a migration level to be increased to 190,000 in 2023-24, but I suppose the focus will remain to be skilled migration which contributes most positively to the economy as the report states.

I wonder how they come up with $410,000, assuming majority of the cost are health care? As parents most likely will bring their savings, overseas pension and property proceeds to Australia. I certainly don’t see my parents will need to use government assistance other than Medicare.

Am I reading correctly? You’ve got my hope up now! All I’ve been reading is that parent migration will eventually close its door due to the aging population.

Hi Linda, Could I please ask the point that if their potential costs being over $49000 over 5 years they could be asked to leave? Does this apply to visitor visa or 870 visa? Thank you !

The other option you probably are aware is visa 870. This long-term temporary visa is for 3-5 years, and maximum for 10 years. The issue is that the current waiting time for 143 is so long that 10 years may not be enough.

Good idea! I’ll send her one tomorrow:)

They sent me the email from a ‘noreply’ inbox. I’ll see what I’ll get from my local MP (Labour) and another Senator (Green). Not too much hope from Labour though, major parties are more similar than different these days.

I’ve got this standard response from Home Affairs, without answering my question about their estimated timeframe being misleading. I would be interested in participating their annual consultation process to inform the composition of the program, although I wasn’t aware of one last year. ”Thank you for your correspondence to the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Alex Hawke MP, concerning processing of the Contributory Parent visa. The Minister appreciates the time you have taken to bring this matter to his attention and has asked that I reply on his behalf. I appreciate your concerns regarding the processing times for Contributory Parent visa. Family migration is an important element of Australia’s migration system, allowing Australian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their family members and contributing to stronger social cohesion outcomes. As you are aware, it remains the case that there is a priority processing order for Family visa applications. Within this, Contributory Parent visa applications are assessed in date of lodgement order and finalised in queue date order within their respective categories. There is no provision to prioritise one Contributory Parent visa application over another Contributory Parent visa application as it may disadvantage other applicants who may be in similar or more compelling circumstances. Each year a consultation process is undertaken by the Department of Home Affairs to hear the community’s views and inform the Australian Government on both the size and composition of the annual migration program. Following public consultations, the permanent Migration Program is set with Australia’s immediate and longer-term economic and social needs in mind. Australia’s permanent Migration Program has had a distribution of two–thirds Skill and one– third Family visas since 2005-06. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, in response to the impacts of COVID-19, the proportion of the Family stream increased to approximately half of the total migration program. The priority in the Family stream category is given to immediate family members who are partner and dependent child applicants. This aligns with the current Government’s policy intentions, the need to give priority to certain applications, and to the size and composition of the migration program. Visa places are also available, but to a lesser extent, to parents and other family members. However, increasing the number of places for Contributory Parent visas may have significant cost implications and would need to be considered by the Government in the context of budget decisions and the current economic climate. The Government appreciates that the limited number of places for these visas each year may be disappointing for some members of the community. Ultimately, the Migration program must strike the right balance between sustainable family reunion and maximising Australia’s longer term economic growth and prosperity. Applicants may wish to consider applying for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) (Subclass 870) visa, which provides an alternative pathway for parents to live in Australia on a temporary basis, for up to three or five years. Processing of these applications slowed during COVID-19, due to temporary visa holders being subject to travel exemptions. However, since 1 November 2021 parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents have been considered to be members of immediate family, and are eligible to apply for a travel exemption to reunite with family members in Australia. Thank you for raising this matter with the Minister.”

Thanks so much Linda! Yes, my parents applied only couple of days apart from you

@LindaH27 thank you so much. We just spoke to my mum and dad this afternoon - our now 2 year old couldn’t stop pointing at the screen and saying ‘nanna’ ‘nanna’ My baby was only 6 weeks old when my parents were here last time. Now we’re expecting our second baby early next year - it would be so great (and certainly lots of happy tears) to seeing my parents again next year. We can spend lots of time together during my maternity leave next year. I suppose the first step for me is to accept the reality of the situation like you said, and wait till next March and see if things become clearer. My parents can then plan from there, apply 870 or just visit us every now and again like what they did before COVID. Thanks so much Linda!

Thanks so much for your kind words Jane. Really appreciate.

@LindaH27 thank you. You are spot on that I’m still in the denial phase, not ready to move on to the acceptance phase yet… with my parents coming to visit early next year, that should make me feel a lot better

@AJM22, I thought the reduction of CPV cap to 3600 in FY2020/21 and 2021/22 is also to make some room for the partner visa? There're lots of pressure to clear the backlog of partner visa. As a result, almost 50% of the total migration planning number was allocated to family stream with vast majority went to partner visa. By the end of FY2021/22, there should only be a small number of partner visa on hand. I would assume that the planning level for parent visa would go back to at least 2019-20 level of around 6000?

@LindaH27 @Marisawright Thanks. I can understand what you are saying and to be honest I know you are right. I suppose I'm just frustrated at myself and now trying to convince myself that the cap could potentially be increased for the next couple of years. My parents could have applied in July 2015, but they thought it would only take a year or two to approve the visa there was no rush and only applied in June 2017. With the COVID border restrictions, I got desperate to get them here on a permanent basis. Anyway, at least they can come to visit next year as my immediate family which is good news at least.

But with the cap of 3600 and an estimated waiting time of 18 years, is 143 even a viable visa option? I assumed that majority of the applicants were in their 60s and 70s when they applied, which means their visas wouldn’t be processed until they are almost in their 80s or 90s. NZ has a quota for parents visa of 1000 a year (which isn’t generous anyway). Given Australia is 5 times the population of NZ, the quota of 3600 appears very low and unreasonable to me.

Yes, I did write to my local MP - stating the fact that the estimated timeframe on Home Affairs website is misleading, and new applicants will need to wait 18 years for their applications to be processed if the cap remains at 3600 a year. In light of the 2022 election, I asked whether there were any consideration to increase the cap. I haven’t heard back - mostly it will be a standard useless reply email from their staff anyway. I would like to be optimistic - perhaps the reduction to 3600 in these two years was due to COVID and therefore temporary? Perhaps with the election coming up, parties would reconsider the parent migration policy? At the same time, I found it hard to be optimistic. It seems the trend is towards more temporary visas and fewer permanent visas, which is why the government started 870 visa back then

Very well said!

Hopefully the report will have some recommendations about speeding up the parents migration process！ Hopefully the government will increase the cap from 3600 to at least 7000. From the numbers in the pipeline, it appears my parents (applied June 2017) would have to wait another 4.5 years for processing - that would be a 8.5 years for a 143 visa.

You are absolutely right and this is a very object comment. With my parents getting older and it has become increasing difficult to have them living so far away, especially when international travel now is less convenient than before. I like the weather and the lifestyle and Australia has become my home (married to a wonderful oz husband, expecting our second baby now, and have a career I love), it makes moving back difficult.

Thank you all for the responses to my queries - really appreciate. The fact that there are still at least 5.5 years to wait for my parents visa (June 2017) is disheartening. Hopefully there are more people signing the petition https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN3366. As I understand the previous petition of parents are immediate family got more than 70000 signatures and was tabled at Parliament and eventually led to the exemption for parents. I would also carefully consider my vote in the next election.

Thanks so much AJM22. The information and data analysis is really useful. I’ve signed the petition. It’s unbelievable how long it takes now - I applied my parents 143 in July 2017 and back then the IMMI website said it will only take 3 years or so if I recalled correctly. Now it has been more than 4 years, and if the quota remains 3600, for people applied in June 2017, it still needs to wait for another 6 years? (20000/3600 per year). Am I calculating correctly? With the recent news of including parents as immediate family, I’m planning to have my parents coming over early next year (granddad and nanna last seen our baby in late 2019 and our baby is almost 2 years old now, with our second baby on the way. It brought me tears when seeing other Aussie grandparents playing with their grandchildren in the playground). I’m also concerned that my parents are not getting any younger (65+) and it’s a pain to imagine if they get sick without me being around. Are any other visa options for them after they come next year on 600 visa while onshore ? Apply for 870 or 804 or 806? What’s the effect on the existing 143 application? Thanks heaps lovely people

Thanks for the clarification Linda! Do we know what is the quota for next financial year for 143? Thanks