Poms forced back due to Parent visa cuts

[thinker78]

Pretty shocking that this government are cutting non contributory parent visas, aged dependent visas, carer visas and remaining relative visas. I personally feel that this is apt timing for me, solidifying my commitment to looking after my parents in the UK (they are not in a position to go the contributory visa route)...but i expect that this is going to throw a lot of poms into a quandary and force many back to look after aging relatives, where as they may have cared for them here prior to these changes.

I just think it's really short sighted of the government to make people choose between a country and one's parents- or other relatives.

That being said, given how migration law and policy changes on a daily basis, it may only be a short lived change.

good luck to all who will now have to think long and hard about being here- it's a really hard choice long term with this in mind.

[Rupert]

These visas take a long time to process anyway and realistically, this only impacts those that sneak in on a tourist visa to lodge on shore. Families that want to be together, can do so ... in their own country. Reality is most people chose between a country and their parents and other relatives when they moved.

[AJ]

A bit overdramatic!

[Petals]

If I was retired in the UK there is no way I would follow my children to Aus. Why get out of the pond we like and lose our friends to babysit:wink: Seriously though moving to Aus as a pensioner is a financial disaster in my opinion.

 

Why do people think we need help, some people do but a lot of old aged people these days are fit and healthy due to our health services and there are many services to assist us. My Mum lives here but I don't really help her, she has a carer goes in, if she needs to get somewhere she has a taxi card.

 

Yep I want to see my children now and again but I do not want to live in their pocket.

 

The more we help someone the more they need help.

[thinker78]

If I was retired in the UK there is no way I would follow my children to Aus. Why get out of the pond we like and lose our friends to babysit:wink: Seriously though moving to Aus as a pensioner is a financial disaster in my opinion.

 

Why do people think we need help, some people do but a lot of old aged people these days are fit and healthy due to our health services and there are many services to assist us. My Mum lives here but I don't really help her, she has a carer goes in, if she needs to get somewhere she has a taxi card.

 

Yep I want to see my children now and again but I do not want to live in their pocket.

 

The more we help someone the more they need help.

 

well i guess all families are different.....not everyone is blessed with health and a lot of people's older parents don't get the services they need, i for one have seen my own parents struggle to care for elderly parents in the uk with very limited 'help' from services, and can see this getting worse ie no money left in the pot. services in the uk for elderly people are struggling, so more is falling to family members.

 

i agree that it's a financial disaster for some wanting to retire here, but it's nice to have the option. and it's not only about practical help i guess, but being able to spend time with parents in their twighlight years too.

 

it is just an interesting move i feel with the recent changes, and it will be interesting to see how down the line people who may have brought parents here, may now decide to return to the uk.

[Rupert]

well i guess all families are different.....not everyone is blessed with health and a lot of people's older parents don't get the services they need, i for one have seen my own parents struggle to care for elderly parents in the uk with very limited 'help' from services, and can see this getting worse ie no money left in the pot. services in the uk for elderly people are struggling, so more is falling to family members.

 

i agree that it's a financial disaster for some wanting to retire here, but it's nice to have the option. and it's not only about practical help i guess, but being able to spend time with parents in their twighlight years too.

 

it is just an interesting move i feel with the recent changes, and it will be interesting to see how down the line people who may have brought parents here, may now decide to return to the uk.

 

Whilst I can understand that there could be some disappointment in the short term, it really is not up to Australia to reunite families by giving out (relatively) cheap visas to pensioners, families already have the option of living in the same country. I really think the moral outrage about being separated from parents after making the choice to emigrate to the other side of the world is a bit irrational to be honest.

 

And if the aging parent is so unhealthy and requiring care, why drag them over to Australia in that state and why should the Australian tax payer stump up for their healthcare because they wont pay for the contributory visa ... the large cost of which is designed to offset the drain on Australian resources.

[Quinkla]

I'm with Rupert on this. Migrating is a pretty selfish act - you have to pretend to turn deaf ears and blind eyes to disappointment from family back home. For most people, the parent visa was only ever a dream anyway - the waiting list of 17 years would render many parents too old to make the move. Besides which, the exchange rate meas most parents migrating would be struggling financially as careers would need rebooting or pensions need converting at disadvantageos rates.

 

But the nail in the coffin for parent visas, IMO, is the number of people who have come on visitor visas and then stayed whilst they sit out the 17 year waiting period on a bridging visa. I don't have numbers, but anyone obviously rorting the system will generate ill feeling and lead to loopholes being closed - or, in this case, rendered irrelevant.

 

I would expect the next tightening to be partner visas where so many people rort the system, chiefly by using de facto as an easy route but also by lodging on-shore to bypass queuing. I suspect the answer for partner visas would be to make them available relatively quickly but only for genuine marriages - although this would obviously disadvantage genuine same sex couples for whom marriage is not available.

[Quoll]

Whilst I can understand that there could be some disappointment in the short term, it really is not up to Australia to reunite families by giving out (relatively) cheap visas to pensioners, families already have the option of living in the same country. I really think the moral outrage about being separated from parents after making the choice to emigrate to the other side of the world is a bit irrational to be honest.

 

And if the aging parent is so unhealthy and requiring care, why drag them over to Australia in that state and why should the Australian tax payer stump up for their healthcare because they wont pay for the contributory visa ... the large cost of which is designed to offset the drain on Australian resources.

 

Absolutely spot on! It's a loophole that needed to be closed I think. It's not as if parent reunions are being totally denied after all, they just have to pay for the privilege.

 

Actually, I really don't get why people think they should be dragging elderly parents across the world away from their social networks and support to relative isolation and often a very impecunious financial situation. If you want to care for your parents, it's much kinder to do it on their turf IMHO where they have friends and services they are entitled to. We are caring for my parents - they didn't ask and never expected, it was something we could do and we offered but I most certainly would never expect my kids to either drag me somewhere new nor to come and care for me.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Absolutely spot on! It's a loophole that needed to be closed I think. It's not as if parent reunions are being totally denied after all, they just have to pay for the privilege.

 

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That's fine but how many oap's have $50,000 sat in the bank. When I fell ill a few years back my mum was going to come over to care for me and we looked at getting her the visa whilst onshore. We eventually decided we would have to manage alone because we couldn't financially support my mum long term, not with me struggling to work. Plus mum has a few health problems and to be honest she didn't have the funds to support herself here if anything did happen to me.

When we came here we didn't know how things would turn out health wise, no one can ever predict this. When I was in hospital for 6 months last year Rob struggled with the 3 boys and working as well as visiting me twice a day. We had no babysitter and the youngest was too young to leave alone. Yes we could have moved back to the UK to get more support but why when I love Australia and want to die here. I know though 101% when I do finally go! hubby will move back to the UK for the support.

[ramot]

Australia doesn't want old people who have contributed nothing to the economy, and to be honest are probably going to need costly medical etc support as they get older.

The amount for PcV is basically a way of offsetting some of those potential costs, rather than getting something for nothing.

We retired here over 11 years ago, as self funded retirees, we totally accept the conditions of our visa, and accept that we are on our own, no complaints.

I suppose the only other option to parents who can't afford the CPV is to come for 6 months at a time for as long as they can cope with that.

as others have said, just because you have made a choice to emigrate, why should your new country support your aged parents, Unfortuneately you don't always realize the long term implications when you emigrate, hard choices have to be made sometimes.

[Quoll]

That's fine but how many oap's have $50,000 sat in the bank. When I fell ill a few years back my mum was going to come over to care for me and we looked at getting her the visa whilst onshore. We eventually decided we would have to manage alone because we couldn't financially support my mum long term, not with me struggling to work. Plus mum has a few health problems and to be honest she didn't have the funds to support herself here if anything did happen to me.

When we came here we didn't know how things would turn out health wise, no one can ever predict this. When I was in hospital for 6 months last year Rob struggled with the 3 boys and working as well as visiting me twice a day. We had no babysitter and the youngest was too young to leave alone. Yes we could have moved back to the UK to get more support but why when I love Australia and want to die here. I know though 101% when I do finally go! hubby will move back to the UK for the support.

 

Yup, life is fraught with hard choices and you make the best choice for you based on the information you have at the time. At least we all have the freedom to come and go. I sincerely hope you're a long way off popping your clogs!

 

If a family is desperate to get their olds over then I guess they will need to budget for the savings to do so if their parents are unable to cough up the fees. Meanwhile, the extended tourist visas are still very accessible.

[snearkin]

I've got to say, the posts on here are very short sighted!!

Parents can be an added bonus to families living in Australia - helping out with child care, enabling their own children to go out to work to help boost the Australian economy.

Lets be honest, it's not an 'easy' country to get into (and rightly so) but we have been granted visas on Australians needs to 'fill in' the gaps in their employment. By having supportive parents can allow people to work and give back into Australia.

I would hardly call it a 'loop hole' - it's a shame that you people aren't as fortunate as others to have strong, close family ties where parents play an active role in their children and grandchildrens lives!

As for 'dragging' them over - how ridiculous! Is it so hard to believe that families all want a better life, to be all together and are willing to work, and support each other??

Hopefully at some stage in your lives your own children will want YOU to be apart of their lives and would move heaven and earth to be apart of it! Even if that means moving to the other side of the world!

I think the Australian government and you people should wake up and realise the benefits of parent visas and stop focusing on the negatives! It should not cost a ridiculous amount of money to get there! As they are worth their weight in gold once they arrive!!

[Parley]

The issue has has been pointed out is elderly relatives, who haven't paid any taxes in Australia during their working lives, coming over at just the time when they are likely to require significant and expensive support from the taxpayer for medical and other age related services.

 

Now someone who has paid their way over the years as a taxpayer deserves this support but a new person arriving in their 70s does not.

[northernbird]

Pretty shocking that this government are cutting non contributory parent visas, aged dependent visas, carer visas and remaining relative visas. I personally feel that this is apt timing for me, solidifying my commitment to looking after my parents in the UK (they are not in a position to go the contributory visa route)...but i expect that this is going to throw a lot of poms into a quandary and force many back to look after aging relatives, where as they may have cared for them here prior to these changes.

I just think it's really short sighted of the government to make people choose between a country and one's parents- or other relatives.

That being said, given how migration law and policy changes on a daily basis, it may only be a short lived change.

good luck to all who will now have to think long and hard about being here- it's a really hard choice long term with this in mind.

 

Australia (and many other countries) have an increasing elderly population and it seems the government don't want to add to it unnecessarily. I don't see anything wrong in this.

[ramot]

I've got to say, the posts on here are very short sighted!!

Parents can be an added bonus to families living in Australia - helping out with child care, enabling their own children to go out to work to help boost the Australian economy.

Lets be honest, it's not an 'easy' country to get into (and rightly so) but we have been granted visas on Australians needs to 'fill in' the gaps in their employment. By having supportive parents can allow people to work and give back into Australia.

I would hardly call it a 'loop hole' - it's a shame that you people aren't as fortunate as others to have strong, close family ties where parents play an active role in their children and grandchildrens lives!

As for 'dragging' them over - how ridiculous! Is it so hard to believe that families all want a better life, to be all together and are willing to work, and support each other??

Hopefully at some stage in your lives your own children will want YOU to be apart of their lives and would move heaven and earth to be apart of it! Even if that means moving to the other side of the world!

I think the Australian government and you people should wake up and realise the benefits of parent visas and stop focusing on the negatives! It should not cost a ridiculous amount of money to get there! As they are worth their weight in gold once they arrive!!

 

 

Well I am a parent and a grandparent, who has no intention of helping out with child care, sorry but I have bought up my own 3 children, and this is my time. Not to be used as cheap child care.

just because some one has chosen to move to Oz, I'm sorry but I just don't understand why the parents should be included in the plan, if the path way isn't there now unless you can afford the PCVisa, or accept coming here for extended visits.

The government has the right to change the rules any time they want to, and I can assure you we were affected by several retrospective changes, several years ago and although it messed up our son's application we had to accept it.

If you have close family ties then perhaps emigration wasn't for you? As that seems to be one of the major reasons people go back to UK.

Our only 2 grandchildren are in UK and most years we go for 2/3 months, spend plenty of time with them, and we accept that as We the parents chose to move to Oz when we retired.

The loop hole that was mentioned was coming here on a visitor visa and then applying on shore, obviously don't know how your parents were hoping to come.

being retired here we know lots of parents who have moved here, all have paid their way. Some have settled, but others although enjoying family here miss their old lives, but I must admit all came of their own free will and weren't dragged here.

also several are returning because they can't afford to stay.

basically it's your families problem, not the governments whether you decide that family + it's support is more important than staying here.

[Danny842003]

I've got to say, the posts on here are very short sighted!!

Parents can be an added bonus to families living in Australia - helping out with child care, enabling their own children to go out to work to help boost the Australian economy.

Lets be honest, it's not an 'easy' country to get into (and rightly so) but we have been granted visas on Australians needs to 'fill in' the gaps in their employment. By having supportive parents can allow people to work and give back into Australia.

I would hardly call it a 'loop hole' - it's a shame that you people aren't as fortunate as others to have strong, close family ties where parents play an active role in their children and grandchildrens lives!

As for 'dragging' them over - how ridiculous! Is it so hard to believe that families all want a better life, to be all together and are willing to work, and support each other??

Hopefully at some stage in your lives your own children will want YOU to be apart of their lives and would move heaven and earth to be apart of it! Even if that means moving to the other side of the world!

I think the Australian government and you people should wake up and realise the benefits of parent visas and stop focusing on the negatives! It should not cost a ridiculous amount of money to get there! As they are worth their weight in gold once they arrive!!

 

Its **** but how can you expect taxpayers to cover the costs of people who have never paid in? Its one of the biggest gripes in the UK that people who have paid nothing in or very little can claim XY and Z.

My grandad takes 16 tablets before his breakfast everyday you could probably double that during the day and throw in a few injections as well. Add to this a couple of ambulance trips to the hospital every month. The drain on the NHS must be massive. But he worked until he was 72 and deserves every penny he is now getting.

I understand it is **** for you but you must see the logic behind it.

[Guest Guest 47403]

A bit overdramatic!

 

Just a bit! Can't see this suddenly meaning you'll struggle for a seat on a flight due to people heading back to the UK to care for elderly parents. If most were that bothered they wouldn't have emigrated in the first place!

 

I doubt many aging parents would want to head to Australia in there twilight years either if they had wanted to they would have done it when they were young and able.

[Sammy1]

I've got to say, the posts on here are very short sighted!!

Parents can be an added bonus to families living in Australia - helping out with child care, enabling their own children to go out to work to help boost the Australian economy.

Lets be honest, it's not an 'easy' country to get into (and rightly so) but we have been granted visas on Australians needs to 'fill in' the gaps in their employment. By having supportive parents can allow people to work and give back into Australia.

I would hardly call it a 'loop hole' - it's a shame that you people aren't as fortunate as others to have strong, close family ties where parents play an active role in their children and grandchildrens lives!

As for 'dragging' them over - how ridiculous! Is it so hard to believe that families all want a better life, to be all together and are willing to work, and support each other??

Hopefully at some stage in your lives your own children will want YOU to be apart of their lives and would move heaven and earth to be apart of it! Even if that means moving to the other side of the world!

I think the Australian government and you people should wake up and realise the benefits of parent visas and stop focusing on the negatives! It should not cost a ridiculous amount of money to get there! As they are worth their weight in gold once they arrive!!

 

I disagree with your view that this is not an easy country to emigrate to. It is incredibly easy compared to America and offers a multitude of visa options that simply don't exist elsewhere in the world.

 

The harsh reality is that Australia does not need parents to come over and it has every right to change the rules. Couples that move here can support the local economy by using and paying for, Australian child care facilities.

 

Personally I think it would be wonderful if all parents could move here, but realistically that would put a huge drain on the economy, one that is already suffering under the fierce cuts imposed by the current government.

 

Australia does not owe the people that decide to move here any more visas, that's the bottom line.

[Rupert]

I've got to say, the posts on here are very short sighted!!

Parents can be an added bonus to families living in Australia - helping out with child care, enabling their own children to go out to work to help boost the Australian economy.

Lets be honest, it's not an 'easy' country to get into (and rightly so) but we have been granted visas on Australians needs to 'fill in' the gaps in their employment. By having supportive parents can allow people to work and give back into Australia.

I would hardly call it a 'loop hole' - it's a shame that you people aren't as fortunate as others to have strong, close family ties where parents play an active role in their children and grandchildrens lives!

As for 'dragging' them over - how ridiculous! Is it so hard to believe that families all want a better life, to be all together and are willing to work, and support each other??

Hopefully at some stage in your lives your own children will want YOU to be apart of their lives and would move heaven and earth to be apart of it! Even if that means moving to the other side of the world!

I think the Australian government and you people should wake up and realise the benefits of parent visas and stop focusing on the negatives! It should not cost a ridiculous amount of money to get there! As they are worth their weight in gold once they arrive!!

 

Actually I think it is you being short sighted. Short sighted in that you cannot see beyond your own desire for cheap child care. The bigger picture is about not burdening the population with caring for an ageing group that have not contributed during the course of their life and choose not to contribute by opting for the non contributory visa.

 

There is over 6% unemployment in Australia and quite a lot willing to work in childcare it is a popular occupation, so that is another way the migrant can contribute! It is not at all hard to believe that some extended families want to stay together and so they can be very easily in their home country or by the contributory parent visa .... or does the moving heaven and earth you mention not extend to putting hand in pocket?

[Guest sheryl]

How is the visa subclass 804 a loophole? If the visa is advertised on DIAC as non contribution and you need to be 65 or over to apply. Then what exactly is the loophole?

To all you bitter sounding people there are a few of us that actually love our parents! Shocking, I know but we aren't all brought up pompous keyboard warriors who dislike the oldies. Another shocker for you all....some Grandparents actually like being with their grandchildren! Absurd as it sounds my parents love it. You all sound such bitter people that I hope I never have the misfortune of ever meeting any of you.

[northernbird]

How is the visa subclass 804 a loophole? If the visa is advertised on DIAC as non contribution and you need to be 65 or over to apply. Then what exactly is the loophole?

To all you bitter sounding people there are a few of us that actually love our parents! Shocking, I know but we aren't all brought up pompous keyboard warriors who dislike the oldies. Another shocker for you all....some Grandparents actually like being with their grandchildren! Absurd as it sounds my parents love it. You all sound such bitter people that I hope I never have the misfortune of ever meeting any of you.

 

Then why leave them then? If they are so important to you and you can't function without their help then stay in the UK where they can be part of your life. It's not rocket science.

[Guest sheryl]

Sorry, where does it state I can't function without my parents? I asked where is the loophole?

[northernbird]

Sorry, where does it state I can't function without my parents? I asked where is the loophole?

 

The proverbial 'you'

[Sammy1]

How is the visa subclass 804 a loophole? If the visa is advertised on DIAC as non contribution and you need to be 65 or over to apply. Then what exactly is the loophole?

To all you bitter sounding people there are a few of us that actually love our parents! Shocking, I know but we aren't all brought up pompous keyboard warriors who dislike the oldies. Another shocker for you all....some Grandparents actually like being with their grandchildren! Absurd as it sounds my parents love it. You all sound such bitter people that I hope I never have the misfortune of ever meeting any of you.

 

How nice to hear you love your parents, just as most people on here are likely to do.

 

How judgmental of you to assume that those that see the reasoning behind the abolition of the visa as bitter and and unappreciative of their parents.

 

Australia has every right to determine what kind of work and parent visas it offers.

[Danny842003]

How is the visa subclass 804 a loophole? If the visa is advertised on DIAC as non contribution and you need to be 65 or over to apply. Then what exactly is the loophole?

To all you bitter sounding people there are a few of us that actually love our parents! Shocking, I know but we aren't all brought up pompous keyboard warriors who dislike the oldies. Another shocker for you all....some Grandparents actually like being with their grandchildren! Absurd as it sounds my parents love it. You all sound such bitter people that I hope I never have the misfortune of ever meeting any of you.

 

So because we dont share the same opinion and can see the logic the Ozzie government has applied we are bitter people? Its not a case of people on here saying they want this taken away, nobody has said that. Everyone else has just said they know why it has been done.