Carer Visa
This visa is for someone who needs to move to or stay in Australia for one of the following reasons:
- This visa is for someone who needs to move to or stay in Australia for one of the following reasons:
- care for a relative in Australia with a long-term medical condition, or
- assist a relative providing this care to a member of their family unit.
A Carer visa is a permanent visa for people who want to live in Australia to provide substantial and continuing care or assistance for a relative who either:
- has a long-term medical condition that means they cannot look after themselves in practical aspects of daily life, or
- needs permanent or long-term practical support to help them care for a member of their family in their household with such a medical condition.
The relative must not be able to reasonably get the care they need from any other relative or from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services in Australia.
Subclass 116 You must make your application outside Australia and be outside Australia when it is granted.
Subclass 836 You must make your application in Australia and be in Australia when it is granted.
Once granted, it allows you and your family to:
- stay in Australia indefinitely as an Australian permanent resident
- apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
- travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident for five years from the date the visa is granted – after that time you will need to apply for another visa if you want to return to Australia.
To apply for this visa, you need a sponsor. This person must be the relative who needs the care or assistance, or their partner. They must sign an undertaking (an agreement) to give you support, accommodation and financial assistance (if you need it) for two years after you first arrive in Australia. This agreement includes any family members you include in your application.
You might be eligible for this visa if:
- you need to move to or reside in Australia to:
- care for a relative in Australia with a long-term medical condition, or
- assist a relative providing this care to a member of their family unit.
- your relative (or their family member) has their condition assessed by BUPA
- you are the only person who can provide the care that is needed
- your relative or their partner can sponsor you
- you are willing and able to provide substantial and continuing assistance
- you fully understand what kind of care or assistance your relative needs.
- your relative cannot reasonable get the care they need from any other relative in Australia or from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services in Australia
- your relative or their partner can sponsor you
- you and your family members meet health and character requirements.
You can apply for this visa if the relative who needs care or assistance is usually resident in Australia. The relative must be your partner, child, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew (or step-equivalent).
This relative must be one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident, or
- an eligible New Zealand citizen
Your sponsor must be settled and usually resident in Australia
If you are applying for this visa so you can assist your relative care for a member of their family, they must both live in the same house.
The Department will ask for proof of your identity and your relationship to your sponsor. If you do not have original documents to prove your relationship, this can be done through DNA testing.
According to current family stream migration planning levels, there are only 500 places allocated for this visa per year, therefore, you might have to wait 4-5 years in a queue.
This visa has a very high refusal rate often due to lack of evidence in the application that the required care cannot be reasonably obtained from another relative or welfare organization.
We strongly recommend to seek legal advice before lodging a Carer Visa application.