Australia Needs Urgent Action for Parent Visa Crisis | Australia immigration News

A Growing Waitlist

Parents have been enduring a wait of over 30 years for an Australian visa. The new Home Affairs Minister must take immediate action to address this crisis.

Two Paths to Sponsorship

Overseas-born Australians looking to bring their parents to Australia have two options:

• Contributory Parent or Aged Parent Visa: Costs around $50,000 per person, with faster processing.
• Standard Parent or Aged Parent Visa: Costs $5,125 but has significantly longer wait times.

Visa Cap and Demand

• Annual Cap: 8,500 parent visas are available each year, with about 80% allocated to contributory applicants.
• Current Backlog: As of June 2023, there were 140,615 applications pending, growing to 151,596 by the following year.
• Processing Times: Contributory parent visas now take up to 14 years, while standard visas face an astonishing 31-year wait.

The Human Cost

Many applicants may not live to see their visas processed, leaving families in prolonged uncertainty and despair. The current system has been criticized as cruel and inadequate.

Government Responses and Challenges

• Previous Reports: Reports have highlighted severe issues in the visa system, including significant abuses.
• Recent Efforts: While skilled migration reforms have been prioritized, family migration, particularly for parent visas, has been neglected.
• Political Distractions: Ongoing legal battles and political issues have further complicated the situation.

Potential Solutions

• Adopt a Lottery System: Similar to New Zealand’s approach, a lottery could help manage the backlog and provide more equitable opportunities.
• Increase Annual Allocations: Expanding the number of visas granted each year and using a lottery system could reduce wait times.
• Consider Temporary Visas: Scrapping permanent parent migration in favor of temporary visas could offer a more practical solution.

The new Home Affairs Minister has a crucial opportunity to make a difference. Immediate measures, such as freezing new applications for permanent parent visas and addressing the existing backlog, are essential to prevent further delays and provide clarity for waiting families.