Anyone who has applied to sponsor one or both parents to Australia knows that it is a long, uncertain and expensive process.

The demand for Parent visa places within the 2019-20 Migration Program has just become even greater, with the Government announcing the following:

Contributory Parent: 6,096 visas (reduced from 7,175)
Parent: 1,275 visas (reduced from 1,500)

The reduction in places will only add to the already protracted processing times; for Contributory Parent visas, applications lodged in November 2015 are currently being processed, while the wait for standard Parent visas may be decades.

The Government responded with the recent introduction of the new Temporary Parent visa, and has advised that to date, 500 visas have been granted. Its intention is not to allow a backlog to develop and the program has been capped at 15,000 places. This new visa allows parents to stay for 3 years or 5 years, and does not have a pathway to permanent residence, however it does, for example, allow parents to be with their families temporarily in Australia, while their permanent application is under processing.

The Parent visa program is undergoing change in New Zealand too, as set out in the article from our NZ office.

DISCLAIMER This information is current as of 16 January 2020 and subject to change. The information contained in this publication is of a general nature only. It should not be used as legal advice. To the extent permissible by law, Ajuria Lawyers and its associated entities shall not be liable for any errors, omissions, defects or misrepresentations in the information or for any loss or damage suffered by persons who use or rely on such information. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.