On 1 March 2019, Minister Coleman announced that applications to sponsor a parent for a Sponsored parent (Temporary) visa will be open from 17 April 2019. The visa provides parents with a new pathway to temporarily reunite with their children and grandchildren in Australia, while ensuring that taxpayers are not required to cover additional costs for a continuous period of up to five years. There is also the opportunity to apply for a second visa for another five years after a short period outside Australia, meaning parents and grandparents will be able to spend up to 10 years in Australia. Up to 15,000 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas may be granted each program year (from 1 July to 30 June). The 15,000 cap has been set by the Government in recognition of the challenges of an ageing population, as well as the overall budget impact of older migrants. The limit also reflects the Government’s priority of providing visa pathways for children and partners of Australians, as well as the need to target young skilled migrants to maximise the economic benefits of migration. If the cap is reached in a program year, no further visas will be granted until the next program year commences on 1 July. This has disappointed certain members of the various communities, who have said the new visa is ‘too expensive’. The new parent visa will cost migrants $5000 for a three-year visa, $10,000 for a five-year visa and $20,000 for a ten-year visa. To be eligible for the visa Sponsors must meet the following criteria: – the sponsor/parent relationship requirements (ie: a parent must be the biological, adoptive, or step-parent of the sponsor and a step-parent can only apply if they are still in a married/de facto relationship with a biological parent of the sponsor) – be aged at least 18 years of age – be an Australian citizen/permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who has been usually resident in Australia for four years – have met any prior sponsorship obligations – have no adverse information unless it is reasonable to disregard the information – have no debts to the Commonwealth or public health debts unless appropriate arrangements have been made for payment – a minimum household income threshold (based on the income of the sponsor, or the combined income of the sponsor and their spouse/partner and/or another child of the parent) – provide police clearances for any country they have spent more than 12 months cumulatively in during the past 10 years – authorise information to be shared with the visa applicant. A parent sponsor will be required to meet obligations including: – providing financial support and accommodation for their parent in Australia – keeping records and providing them to the Department if asked. For example evidence of income. This obligation ends two years after the day the person ceases to be a sponsor – advising the Department when certain events occur. For example if they are charged with a crime. This obligation ends the day after the person ceases to be a sponsor – paying outstanding public health debts incurred by their parent in Australia. The obligation ceases if the relevant health authority advises the debt has been repaid, or acceptable repayment arrangements have been made. However, this obligation will continue if there are outstanding health debts, even after the parent who incurred them has departed Australia. If an obligation is breached, the Department can consider: – cancelling the sponsorship. This means any existing sponsored visa holders must either find another sponsor or depart Australia – barring a sponsor. A bar prevents a sponsor from sponsoring further parents for a period. Visa holders will generally be subject to a “no work” condition. If you would like to find out more about the current proposal new Temporary Sponsored Parent Visa or discuss your Parent Visa options further and evaluate which Parent visa pathway to take, please contact us on 07 3162 9257 or send email to pragya@eduembassy.com.au