Permanent Residency in Australia for Retirement Visa Holders Subclass visa 410
- Target:
- Australian Senate
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.retirementvisa410.com
Retirement Visa (Subclass 410) Holders and Permanent Residency
The subclass 410 temporary retirement visa was introduced in the early 1980s for people aged 55 + who are self funding, healthy and of good character. It was withdrawn to new applicants in 2005, since when the number living permanently in Australia has fallen to fewer than 3,000.
In Opposition, the Liberal Party supported the notion that 410 visas holders who show a long-term commitment to Australia should be eligible for a permanent resident visa. In June 2008, the Shadow Minister for Immigration, Senator the Hon. Chris Ellison, proposed a Senate motion to “enable temporary resident retirement 410 visas to apply for permanent residency.” Although all Coalition and Green Party Senators supported the motion, which was agreed, no action was taken. Also in 2008, Senator the Hon. Chris Evans, then Minister for Immigration, declared that “If people choose to make their lives in Australia, they should have a pathway to citizenship open to them.”
Surely 3,000 retirement visa holders deserve such a ‘pathway’, certainly those who:
- have lived here for at least ten years
- are home owners
- are self-funded from overseas-sourced pensions
- are law abiding
- contribute significantly and voluntarily to the community
- are privately health insured
- have introduced hundreds of millions of dollars into Australia at no cost to taxpayers
- would, as permanent residents, then pay income tax in Australia on overseas income.
Yet, despite significant verbal support from all political parties, 410 visa holders are no nearer gaining permanent residence and citizenship than they were in 2008.
We endorse the principle that “if people choose to make their lives in Australia, they should have a pathway to citizenship open to them”, and the motion agreed by the Senate on 28th June 2008 calling upon the Government to enable long term residents who hold a Temporary Retirement (sub-class 410) visa to become Permanent Residents and Citizens of Australia.
We call upon the Federal Government to enable temporary retirement (subclass 410) visa holders who have lived in Australia for ten years or more the right to become Permanent Residents and Citizens.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Permanent Residency in Australia for Retirement Visa Holders Subclass visa 410 petition to Australian Senate was written by BERIA and is in the category Government at GoPetition.