My daughter lives in Brisbane and is married to a lovely Australian guy that she met about 5 years ago when she went from the UK to Australia on a working/holiday visa after university.
In November 2018 we moved to Australia on a temporary skill shortage visa as my husband is a Volkswagen Motor Mechanic. We were hoping this will allow us to settle in Australia after 3 years. Sadly, we found out after a year of being there that because of my husband’s age we could not apply for residency after 3 years on the 482 visa.
We were devastated as we wanted to be in Australia with our daughter and we contacted a visa agent who said we had two options. Stay in Australia and apply for another 482 visa when our existing visa expires and hopefully by then our 143 visa would be approved. With my husband being in his 50’s already we had the uncertainty that he might not get another 482 temporary skill shortage visa and in April 2020 we returned to the UK.
In November 2020 we applied for the 143 visa and it was estimated it could take about 5 years. It is really sad to think we were in Australia and my husband was passing his skills down to the apprentices and his colleagues he was working with and could not stay there.
My daughter wants to start a family and is keen to have her parents in Australia but at this stage they will have to do this without us being there. We are hardworking and would be bringing money into the country to support ourselves and yet we all have to go through this difficult process of waiting for years to be with our family. I already had to leave South Africa in 2005 when we relocated to the UK to provide a better future for my daughter and for us to be safe. I am now split between South Africa, Australia and the UK.
Regards,
Hannelie B.