Applicants with permanent medical conditions or disabilities will no longer be assessed in terms of their lifetime care cost, in a move that migration agents and human rights workers say is a step towards reducing discrimination in the immigration system.
The prevents any migrant with an illness, disease, or intellectual or physical disability from obtaining a visa if it is deemed their condition will be too costly to the Australian taxpayer or put the general public at risk.
New cap and assessment period
Prior to 1 July, the policy underpinning the requirement set the threshold for significant cost at $40,000 but under the new changes. This has now been increased to $49,000.
The way the cost of people with permanent disabilities or conditions seeking permanent residency is calculated has also been updated.
Previously, people with permanent conditions could be rejected if the hypothetical cost of their care exceeded the cost threshold over their lifetime. Now, the hypothetical cost will be calculated over ten years.
Government quiet on changes
Dr Gothard, who works at Western Australia migration law firm Estrin Saul, said she had not been aware of the changes - which came in with the new financial year - until her colleague stumbled across them while reviewing the government’s policy recently.
“She noticed that the figure for significant costs had gone from $40,000 to $49,000, at first she thought she was looking at a typo,” she said, adding that she was surprised by the move.
