My dad is getting frail and I am worried about him living on his own but he is still very independent and doesn’t want to go into a nursing home. Can I move to Australia to care for him? What kind of visa do I need?
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Answer by Kert Stavorn, Belmore 2192 NSW
- You can apply for the Carer visa (subclass 116) onshore or (subclass 836) while offshore. This visa allows a family member to come to Australia as the carer of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ citizen.
- In order to apply for this visa you must satisfy the following requirements:
- you are a relative of the person requiring care in Australia;
- your sponsor is either someone who needs care or a member of their family;
- you are willing to provide substantial and continuing care; and
- you meet the health and character requirements.
- You will need a certificate from Medibank Health Solutions (MHS) to certify that the sponsor or a member of their family requires special care. This certificate is valid for 18 months.
- The sponsor must also show that the assistance cannot be reasonably acquired in Australia because:
- the person needing care only speaks a language that is not widely spoken in Australia;
- they require full-time care in their home; or
- they have particular dietary requirements.
- There must also be a permanent long term need for the care such as a minimum of 2 years of assistance and the sponsor must be willing to pay for the second instalment of the visa fee.