The Andrews Labor Government strongly welcomes Federal Labor’s pledge to introduce a fairer long stay parent visa system that will allow families to more easily reunite with parents and grandparents who are still overseas.
It will not only bring more families together but signals strong support for Victoria’s multicultural communities.
The Federal Labor plan would make available up to four ageing parent visas per family.
It would also significantly reduce the cost of the visa, with a 5-year visa costing $2,500 and a 3-year visa $1,250—a significant saving from the $10,000 and $5,000 outlays that families endure now.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Richard Wynne said, “Federal Labor’s plan will bring comfort to many of Victoria’s multicultural communities, who are all too often having to choose between which set of grandparents to reunite with. Many multicultural families simply can’t afford the cost or the time it takes to get a visa through the current system—this would change all that.”
Under the current system, families are forced to choose between ‘one set’ of parents per household. It’s also limited to 15,000 places and in some circumstances, can take decades for families to be successfully reunited.
“These vital reforms will change lives for the better and it’s something Victoria wholeheartedly supports,” said Premier Daniel Andrews.
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