subject: Your First Two Years As A Contributory Parent Migrant [print this page] Help grow the Australian economy by migrating to Australia as a contributory parent. This visa is for parents of natural, adopted or step children who have settled in the country as a citizen, a permanent resident or as an eligible New Zealand citizen.
You must pass the balance of family test, wherein at least half of your children permanently reside in Australia or you have more children permanently living in Australia than in any other single country.
Furthermore, you need a sponsor to be able to apply for this visa. He or she needs to provide documentation that as a sponsor, he/she will provide accommodation, support and financial assistant to you and your dependents for at least 2 years. Your sponsor will usually have to be your child. If your child is under 18, you may also be sponsored by your childs spouse, a close family relative or guardian of your childs spouse or a community organisation. An Assurer of Support may also be required.
Like most Australian parent visas, this lets you work and study in Australia to become a contributing member of society. You will be eligible to receive subsidized health care via Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Centrelink the agency that delivers social security payments and other services can start giving you access to social security benefits after the 2-year waiting period. For those who have lived in Australia permanently for at least ten years, they may avail of age and disability benefits.
As a contributory parent, you are expected to be able to find work to support yourself while in the country. Otherwise, your sponsor or Assurer of Support, as declared during your Australian visa application, should be able to offer you assistance for the first two years of your stay.
If you suffer from extreme hardship during the two-year waiting period before you are able to avail of social security payments, you may become eligible for special benefits. Centrelink will not allocate special benefit payments to you because you are unable to find a job. It has to be justified as hardship caused by an uncontrollable and major change in your life.
