Minister Burke was scheduled to deliver a speech at the National Press Club today where he was expected to unveil significant changes to Australia’s migration settings in a bid to head off political challenges to the Federal Government arising from increasing public concerns over Australia’s migration intake.

This speech has been postponed, but the likelihood of changes by way of increased limitations on applications by parents and partners are real. 

More specifically, Minister Burke was expected to announce changes that will prevent the spouses, children and parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents from applying for family visas while they are in the country as tourists.

This has been a common strategy for many families seeking to stay together in Australia while they wait for their permanent visas to be approved, with the increased numbers applying when in Australia being a direct consequence of processing times for offshore family visa applications increasing significantly.

The number of family visa applicants substantially exceeds the number of permanent visas the government makes available each year, creating a backlog of many years – now 15+ years for Contributory Aged parent visa applications under subclass 864, and 30+ years for Aged Parent visa applications under subclass 804.

As many readers will be aware, parents who apply for onshore visas such as subclass 804 Aged Parent and 864 Contributory Aged Parent while they are in Australia as the holders of visitor visas move onto Bridging Visas so they can remain lawfully in Australia for the long period it is taking for their visa application to be processed to a decision.

We anticipate the delay in delivering details of restrictions on the ability to apply for onshore parent and partner visas is linked to the political uncertainty of whether the Federal Government has the numbers it needs to get the changes through the Parliament; some readers might recall that some 12 years ago efforts were made to abolish subclasses 804 and 103 for new visa applicants.

This was effected via what is called a Legislative Instrument – which was subsequently the subject of a successful Disallowance Motion in the Senate (Australia’s Upper House).

With both Houses in the Federal Parliament sitting again next week – and with the political reality that there are domestic concerns in Australia over the net annual migration intake, manifesting in the rise in the opinion polls of One Nation – we consider there is presently a significant risk of these onshore parent and partner visa pathways being closed to those who are in Australia with visitor visas.

In short – don’t delay lodging your onshore parent visa application, assuming you are in a position to do!

In summary, there is a ceiling of 6,096 visas on the number of Contributory Parent visas for the year to 30 June 2020. For the previous year the ceiling was 7,175.

For non CP visas the 2019/20 ceiling is 1,275 (1,500 for 2018/19).

The ceiling on the granting of CP Visas includes 125 visas that are available to subclass 410 and 405 visa holders who are seeking permanent residency under the pathway that opened 12 months ago.

Some will recall that this is the legislation that the Federal Government considers is required to pass into law before the long awaited temporary parent visa can become available.

We are anticipating the Bill will become law this week, at which point we can reasonably expect the new temporary parent visa pathway will open.

Hopefully the regulations to facilitate the new temporary parent visa won’t take too long to prepare.

The legislation as drafted requires the approval of a sponsor before a visa application is lodged.

Those who are interested in progressing an application for the new temporary parent visa with our help should feel able to complete the enquiry form on this page.

We can then confirm our fee for assisting with a temporary parent visa application.

The Department of Home Affairs has released details of the number of visas available under the non humanitarian program for the year to 30 June 2019.

There are no changes compared with the 2017-18 program year, meaning that for the 2018–19 program year:

• 1,500 places have been allocated to the non Contributory Parent visas, sub classes 103 and 804
• 7,175 places have been allocated to the Contributory Parent visas, subclasses 173/143 and subclasses 884/864

It should be remembered that the Australian Government has adopted a change of narrative in recent months, such that the number of visas in the budgeted program should be seen as a ceiling, not a target.

By changing its narrative the Government can be seen to be responsive to community concerns when the actual outcome in terms of visa grant numbers is less than was budgeted originally.

The 2018-19 migration program planning numbers are available here.

Charges for the parent visa applications encountered most frequently are increasing as follows:

Subclass 143, Contributory Parent (not the holder of a subclass 173 visa)

• Main applicant – A$3,855 currently A$3,770
• Secondary applicants aged 18 or more – A$1,300 currently A$1,270

Subclass 864, Contributory Aged Parent (not the holder of a subclass 884 visa)

• Main applicant – A$3,855 currently A$3,770
• Secondary applicants aged 18 or more – A$1,925 currently A$1,880

Subclass 804, Aged Parent

• Main applicant – A$4,035 currently A$3,945
• Secondary applicants aged 18 or more – A2,020 currently A$1,975

These VACs are payable when the visa application is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs.

At present there are no announced changes to the 2nd Visa Application Charges, which are payable immediately prior to visa grant.

For now these remain at A$43,600 per person for the subclass 143 and 864 visas, and A$2,065 for the non Contributory subclass 804 visa.

The Explanatory Memorandum to the Regulations which introduces the increases advises:

… the Regulations amend the Migration Regulations to increase first instalment VACs for a number of visas. On 1 July 2017, most VACs were indexed in accordance with the 2017-18 forecast consumer price index (CPI). The Regulations increase the majority of VACs so that they are increased by the 2018‐19 forecast CPI. In effect, this means that the relevant VACs are increased from their baseline 2016-17 amounts by the cumulative total of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 increases. It is intended that these indexation amendments will be made on an annual basis in future.