The Balance of Family test looks at where a parent's children live. It is generally met if at least half of their children live permanently in Australia, or if more of their children live in Australia than in any other single country.

The second limb matters. Parents who do not meet the "half" test can still qualify if Australia holds more of their children than any other country. We check both before you apply.

Longer than most people expect. As at 31 May 2026 the Department of Home Affairs estimated around 33 years for Parent and Aged Parent visas (Subclass 103 and 804), and around 15 years for Contributory Parent visas (Subclass 143, 173, 864 and 884).

These figures are set and updated by the Department and you can check the current position on their parent visa queue release dates page. Because of those timeframes, we always talk through what your parents can do in the meantime, including the Subclass 870 temporary option.

It depends on the visa. The Department states that holders of the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870) cannot work in Australia. Other parent visas carry different conditions.

The conditions that apply to your parents are the ones listed in their grant notice, and they can be checked at any time using VEVO. We confirm exactly what applies before you plan around it.

Costs vary widely between the standard and contributory options, and the second instalment on contributory visas is substantial. Government charges are set by the Department of Home Affairs and change. We set out the current government charges and our own professional fees in writing at your consultation, and you receive a written service agreement before we act for you.

Some parent visas are onshore applications, such as Subclass 804 and 864, and others must be lodged offshore, such as Subclass 103 and 143. Where your parents are when they apply affects which visas are open to them and whether they can remain in Australia while waiting. We advise on the right option based on their circumstances.

There is no way to speed up a permanent parent visa. All parent visa applications are subject to capping and queueing by the Department of Home Affairs, and no migration agent can move an application forward in the queue or influence how it is processed.

What families often do instead is look at the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 870), which is granted for up to 3 or 5 years and lets parents spend extended periods in Australia while a permanent application sits in the queue. We can talk through whether that fits your situation.

No. No migration agent can guarantee a visa outcome or a processing time. All visa decisions, queue positions and processing times are set and decided solely by the Department of Home Affairs.

What we can do is assess the Balance of Family test honestly, prepare a complete and well-evidenced application, and tell you before you spend money if we think a pathway is not realistic for your family.