Following the Government’s confirmation of the introduction of a new temporary parent visa the issue that is by far the most concerning is the apparent need for parents to leave Australia after 10 years.

In other words, it will only be possible for a parent to have one renewal of a 5 year temporary parent visa.

Is the Government seriously proposing that an elderly parent will be required to leave Australia after living in Australia for 10 years?

While we acknowledge there are circumstances when this new visa will have a role to play – most notably allowing parents who have lodged an offshore Contributory Parent visa application under subclass 143 or 173 where application processing times are pushing out towards 3 years to come to Australia while their CP visa application is being processed – we think there are significant risks for parents who leave their home country for Australia, do not have a permanent residency visa pathway available, and who are expected to depart Australia 10 years later.

Given this new visa will place the risk of health costs on the parents and family in Australia we can see no reason for a limit on the number of times this visa can be renewed.

Representations are being made to the Minister’s office in an effort to relax the limitation on the duration an individual can hold a temporary parent visa, before it is included in the legislation later this year.