Heartbreaking Delays: Nearly 2,300 Parents Have Died Waiting for Australian Visas!

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Australia (Commonwealth)_ The prolonged wait times for parent visas in Australia have resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,300 applicants before their applications were processed over the past three years, as revealed by the Department of Home Affairs. According to data shared with Senate estimates, 2,297 parent visa applicants and 87 additional family members, including aged dependent relatives and carers, passed away while awaiting a visa.

Current processing times for parent visas are alarmingly long. A contributory parent visa, which requires a fee of $48,495, now takes approximately 14 years to process. Meanwhile, the general aged parent visa, costing $5,125, has an average wait time of 31 years. Despite the Labor government increasing the annual allocation of parent visas from 4,500 to 8,500, the number of pending applications has grown from around 140,000 in mid-2023 to over 150,000.

A recent migration review criticized the excessive delays, describing them as effectively denying applicants the possibility of successful migration. The review suggested that offering visas with such negligible chances of approval is both “cruel and unnecessary.” Some of the suggestions were to use a lottery system like the one used for the U.S. green card to more fairly distribute parent visas or to get rid of all options for parents to live permanently in the country in favor of making temporary migration easier. In his budget reply speech on May 16, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton proposed reducing the annual permanent migration intake by 25% starting from 2024–25. The proposal includes decreasing the current cap of 185,000 to 140,000 for two years, followed by gradual increases to 150,000 and then 160,000. This move has sparked concerns among migration experts, including Abul Rizvi, a former deputy secretary of immigration. Rizvi cautioned that such reductions would severely limit the entry of parents into Australia, as partner visas, which are demand-driven and uncapped, would dominate the reduced family migration quota.

Rizvi highlighted the lack of political will to address the backlog in parent visa applications, attributing it to the significant budgetary implications. Non-working-age parents migrating to Australia incur substantial costs due to access to services like Medicare. Even with the high fees associated with contributory parent visas, Rizvi noted that these visas result in a net budget loss. He predicted that temporary parent visas, allowing stays of three to five years, would become a more attractive alternative given the hurdles of obtaining permanent residency.

The prolonged processing times have also led to adverse mental health effects for both parents waiting abroad and their family members in Australia. Public submissions to the migration review emphasized the emotional toll caused by the uncertainty and extended separation. Manu Baines, an Australian citizen, exemplifies the challenges faced by families. His parents, aged 64 and 60, currently reside in Australia on visitor visas. While these visas allow a three-year validity, they restrict continuous stays to 12 months, requiring periodic travel back to their home country, India. Baines shared that his parents have been visiting Australia for nearly a decade but could only apply for a contributory parent visa in May 2023 due to the prohibitive cost. With an estimated 12-year wait ahead, Baines expressed concerns about the financial strain and constant uncertainty, particularly as he and his wife recently welcomed a four-month-old daughter.

Similarly, Thomas Fuchs, a 64-year-old Swiss national, has been waiting seven years for a parent visa. Initially informed that the process would take 18 to 24 months, Fuchs has since faced significant delays. Having moved to Australia on a skilled 457 visa, he now operates a hair salon that employs and trains Australians. However, without a parent visa, Fuchs remains ineligible for Medicare benefits. He expressed frustration over the lack of recognition for his contributions to Australian society and fears that potential changes to migration caps under Dutton’s leadership could further extend the process.

A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs acknowledged that limited resources and increasing demand have contributed to delays across all visa programs. The high volume of permanent parent visa applications in recent years has significantly exceeded the annual planning levels, exacerbating processing times.

As Australia grapples with the challenges of balancing migration policies, families affected by these delays continue to face emotional and financial hardships. Efforts to reform the system remain critical to addressing these issues and ensuring a more equitable migration process.

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