Lisa is an academic. She relocated to Australia on an employer-sponsored skilled visa after completing her Ph.D. in the U.S. in 2015. She and her Australian husband both work full-time and have a one-year-old son who attends childcare five days a week. They are also the sole carer for her mother-in-law who received a kidney transplant in 2019. Lisa’s sister and her partner are also Australian permanent residents on employer-sponsored skilled visas.
Lisa’s mother lives in Hong Kong. She applied for Visa 143 in June 2020, anticipating that it would be granted in five years (2025-26). However, based on Go Matilda’s Visa Processing Time Calculator, she will not receive her visa until 2032.
Because of Lisa’s family and job in Australia, moving to Hong Kong is not an option for her.
Lisa’s mother is 61 years old and is in relatively good health. She wants to help out with childcare. If she has to wait until 2032 for her visa to be granted, she will be 72 years old then and her grandchild will be 11 years old.
While Lisa has explored temporary visa options for her mother while waiting for Visa 143 to be granted, there is a lot of uncertainty associated with these options. The duration of the visa granted is often up to the discretion of the case officer. Her mother will have to leave the country for a period when a visa ends.
Since their son started attending childcare, Lisa and her husband have been taking sick leave and carer’s leave frequently. This has caused tremendous stress for them. This does not only lower their productivity at work but also their career progression opportunities.
It is their wish to bring Lisa’s mum to Australia when she is still healthy and active enough to contribute to their family and to Australian society.