Australia’s Opposition Leader pledges to retain current parent visa numbers despite proposing a cut of 45,000 permanent migrants annually. The move responds to growing pressure from migrant families while raising concerns over potential strain on other visa categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Dutton, leader of the Coalition<\/em>, has announced that the annual parent visa<\/strong> intake will remain untouched if his party forms government, despite broader plans to reduce permanent migration<\/strong> from 180,000 to 135,000 places per year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commitment follows increasing political scrutiny and emotional appeals from migrant communities with relatives facing decades-long wait times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This issue has gained traction among voters in key marginal seats, where many families are separated by the current immigration backlog. With more than 150,000 applicants<\/strong> currently waiting for parent visas, the announcement signals the Coalition\u2019s intention to address family reunion pressures without detailing compensatory cuts <\/a>in other visa streams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The parent visa category has long been a contentious part of Australia\u2019s immigration framework, particularly due to its lengthy processing times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to figures cited by SBS News<\/em>, more than 150,000 people are on the waiting list, with standard wait times averaging 31 years<\/strong>. For the contributory parent visa<\/a> \u2014 which costs applicants up to $48,000 \u2014 the average wait is still 14 years, despite the financial outlay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the Labor <\/a>government nearly doubled the cap for parent visas to 8,500<\/strong>, critics argue this has not alleviated the backlog.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Immigration Department official Abul Rizvi <\/a>warned of the economic trade-offs involved. According to him, the lifetime fiscal cost of a parent migrant can reach $400,000<\/strong>, even with mandatory private health insurance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n