In Nov. 26th 2012, my husband (at that time 55, now 65 years old) and I (at that time 50, now 60 years old) moved to Australia from South Korea with our two children with the 457 sponsorship from one of global IT companies.
I was doing my job well and I hoped for our children to complete their education and take up productive careers in Australian society. I also intended to continue working for a number of years and contribute to my family and the Australian workforce.
Unfortunately, in Oct. 2014 the company I worked for sold the division that I worked for to one of the Chinese IT companies, and in December 2015 the Chinese company closed that arm of its business in Australia as their business revenue dramatically decreased, making me redundant, which impacted my 457 visa just 8 months short of me and my husband becoming eligible to apply for PR.
After redundancy, my husband and I decided to stay in Australia to continue to raise and support our kids. After my daughter completed her studies, was employed as a lawyer and became an Australian citizen, my husband and I applied Contributory Parent Visa (143) in 2017, which was expected to be approved by 2020, being less than a 3 years time frame, based on the information given by the Department of Home Affairs website at the time.
It is now more than four and a half years since we applied for a permanent residency, but that visa has not yet been processed due to significant delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and government policy changes.
It is my understanding that during the last financial year (July 2020 – June 2021), the immigration department processed less than two months queued 143 visa PR applications (from April 2016 to May 2016). After about five years of waiting, my applications still have not been considered and the indications are that if the immigration department continues to review applications at its current rate, my application may not be considered for a further 5 or 6 years which is creating physical and mental hardship as my family life plan is distorted.
My husband and I have stayed in Australia, legally, for almost 10 years in the hope of living here permanently and becoming Australian citizens. My husband and I have both made significant efforts to contribute to the Australian government and the local community. I paid for the income tax over $250,000 to the ATO between 2013 and 2015 while I was working. My husband also worked for an Australian company and studied at a college in Sydney for three years.
My husband and I have engaged in several volunteer work for the local councils, such as teaching the Korean language for Australians in Mosaic Center(a multi-cultural centre in Sydney), gardening works for Seniors, and sewing services at the repair cafe club.
My husband and I have demonstrated that we are contributors rather than burdens to Australian society.
Currently, My husband and I are holders of 870 visa which is expensive( no work, no Medicare).
I bought a family house in Jan. 2014 with FIRB approval. I received a letter from NSW Revenue that notified the surcharge land tax for 2017-2022 (6 years) as I am a foreigner. They should have notified the new tax law in 2016, not in Jan. 2022. Due to the delay of 143 PR, one more ordeal is added.
It seems unfair, unproductive, and inhumane to continue to delay the process of the Contributing Parent visas.
I therefore request the immigration department expedite the 143 visa process and increase 143 annual caps. I understand the current waiting lists are over 80,000 for 143 Visa, so increasing the yearly cap on 143 visa to at least 22,000 per year would bring to closer to the indicative “64 months processing time” on the Immigration website. Please think parent as a harmonized family unit like green roots rather than a burden to Australia.