A Sydney migration agent has urged families considering parent visas to lodge applications urgently, warning that looming changes to Australia’s migration system could make it tougher to apply while already in the country.
The warning follows Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s decision to postpone a National Press Club speech, where he was expected to announce further reforms to the migration program.
Burke had been due to address the National Press Club on Thursday, in a speech titled The Work of Managing the Migration Program, but the event was cancelled earlier this week without explanation.
A spokesperson later said the speech was ‘not ready’ and would be delivered at a later date.
The delay has triggered speculation among migration professionals and visa applicants about possible shifts in family visa pathways, particularly for those submitting applications from within Australia.
Rajwant Singh, founder of Blacktown’s AVC Migration and a registered migration agent with over three decades of experience, took to the Facebook group Indians in Sydney to warn families not to delay.
‘Onshore Parent Visas will be gone soon! If you are planning and capable of doing it! Do it now!! Take it as an advice or a warning,’ Mr Singh wrote.
Reports ahead of Burke’s planned speech suggested the government was considering changes to prevent spouses, children and parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents from applying for family visas if they are in Australia on visitor visas.
A post made by Rajwant Singh (pictured) warning that Onshore Parent Visas were changing
Tony Burke (pictured) cancelled a planned speech to announce an overhaul of migration rules
Under the reported plan, applicants would be forced to remain overseas while their permanent visa applications are processed, ending the option of transitioning onto a bridging visa that lets many stay, work and access Medicare during the wait.
Mr Singh’s post prompted numerous questions from worried migrants seeking clarity on whether changes are imminent.
Responding to one commenter, Singh wrote: ‘The department has already started putting no further stay condition on all SC 600 visas.
‘Secondly they are thinking about changes to stop people from making valid applications onshore.
‘We have been telling this for many years. It is going to be a reality soon.’
When another user asked whether the warning applied to all visitor visas or just long-term visas, Mr Singh replied: ‘Because the government is changing a lot of policies to reduce net migration numbers.’
Mr Singh told Daily Mail that AVC had received ‘lots of calls’ from new clients, worried about changes to the family visa.
‘We have had many calls from mainly our own client database for people who have been concerned about the likely changes,’ he said.
Rajwant Singh (pictured) runs a migration agency based in Western Sydney called AVC
Join the discussion
Should families already in Australia be allowed to stay while their visa applications are processed?
‘There have been a lot of calls from our case load. Their main concern has been the effects it might have on existing visas.’
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson on Thursday renewed her attack on family migration, saying her party would abolish family visa pathways if it ever formed government.
Hanson also criticised Australia’s international student sector, questioning why some overseas students are able to bring family members with them while studying.
‘You’re here to study. If you don’t want to be away from your partner or family, do an online course,’ Hanson told News24.
‘But no, they’re allowed to bring in their families. That’s a strain on our infrastructure.’
