Bringing the Grandparents to Australia: What Eastern Suburbs Families Really Need to Know

Most of us who’ve moved here from somewhere else have had the same quiet thought, usually around 5pm on a long day: I wish my mum was here.

Not just for the help — though the help would be wonderful. For the kids to grow up actually knowing their grandparents. For Sunday lunches that feel like home. For that second pair of hands when you’re juggling the school run, a sick toddler and a work deadline all at once.

If you’ve been wondering whether you can bring your parents (or your partner’s parents) to Australia for good, this is the honest version. I’m a registered migration agent based in Sydney, I work with a lot of Eastern Suburbs families, and I’d rather tell you the truth up front than let you find it out the expensive way.

So here it is: it’s absolutely possible. But it’s slower, costlier and more complicated than almost everyone expects. Let’s walk through it.

The short version: You can bring your parents to Australia — but there’s no fast, cheap path. The permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) costs roughly $48,000 per parent and currently takes 12–15 years. The temporary Sponsored Parent visa (subclass 870) is far cheaper and quicker, letting them stay up to 5 years at a time, but it doesn’t lead to residency. Which one fits depends on your budget, your timing, and whether your parents are already here. (Figures are approximate 2026 guides — always check current rates.)

Before anything else: the test that decides if you even qualify

There’s one rule that catches families out more than any other, so it’s worth knowing before you fall in love with a particular visa: the Balance of Family Test. For all the permanent parent visas, at least half of your parents’ children need to live permanently in Australia — or more of them here than in any other single country. So if your mum has four children and three still live overseas, the permanent visas are simply off the table, and it can’t be waived or appealed. (The temporary 870 is the exception — it doesn’t apply this test, which is part of why it’s so useful.) One trap worth knowing: children living in Australia on a student or graduate visa usually count as “overseas” for this test.

A couple of other things need to line up too:

You, the sponsor, have to qualify — generally an Australian citizen or permanent resident, usually settled here a couple of years, and willing to provide an Assurance of Support (a refundable bond of roughly $10,000 for one parent or $14,000 for a couple, held for about 10 years).
Your parents need to pass health and character checks — a serious health condition that would be costly to the system can affect the outcome, so a quiet pre-check is worth it.

None of this is meant to scare you off — it’s just the stuff that’s far cheaper to find out now than after you’ve lodged. A short conversation usually tells you whether your family clears these hurdles in about ten minutes.

First, the hard truth about the “permanent” parent visas

There are two permanent parent visas, and the difference between them matters enormously.

The Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143) is the one most families end up looking at. It leads to permanent residency, eventually full access to Medicare, and the right to live here for good. The catch is the cost and the wait. As things stand in 2026, you’re looking at roughly $5,000 up front and around $43,600 per parent as a second payment closer to the grant — so for a couple, close to $95,000 in government charges alone, before you add medicals, police checks and any professional help. And the wait is currently estimated at around 12 to 15 years.

Yes, you read that right. Years, not months. There’s a simple reason behind the queue: under Australia’s 2025–26 Migration Program, the entire country has just 8,500 parent visa places for the whole year — across every parent visa category combined — while the number of families wanting them is far higher. That mismatch between 8,500 places and the demand is the whole story behind the wait.

The non-contributory Parent visa (subclass 103) is far cheaper — a fraction of the cost. But the queue is so long it’s measured in decades. Right now, new applications are realistically looking at a 30-year-plus wait. I mention it mainly so you don’t accidentally lodge one thinking it’s the “budget option.” For most families, by the time it’s decided, the circumstances that made you want it have completely changed.

The visa most families actually use

Here’s the option that surprises people, and the one I find genuinely changes lives: the Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa (subclass 870).

It doesn’t lead to permanent residency. But it lets your parents live in Australia with you for up to 3 or 5 years at a time, and you can renew up to a cumulative 10 years. The cost is far more manageable — roughly $5,735 for the 3-year option or $11,470 for the 5-year option per parent, plus a small sponsorship fee. Processing is usually months, not years.

For a young family, that’s the difference between your kids seeing their grandparents on a screen and having them here — at the school concert, at the birthday, on the beach at Coogee on a Sunday. That’s not nothing. For many families it’s everything.

A few honest things to know about the 870:

No work rights, and no Medicare. Your parents will need private health insurance for their stay. Budget for it — it’s a real cost, especially as parents get older.
You (the child) have to qualify as the sponsor. That means meeting an income threshold and a few other requirements, so it’s worth checking your eligibility before getting their hopes up.
There’s an annual cap of 15,000 visas across the country, so timing your application well matters.
It’s not a back door to PR. It buys you precious years together — but it stays temporary.

“But what if my parents are already here — and want to stay?”

This is where one more option comes in, and it surprises a lot of people. Most of the permanent visas above are offshore — your parents generally need to be outside Australia when the visa is finally granted. But there’s also an onshore “aged parent” route, for parents who are already in Australia and old enough for the age pension (around 67).

Its big drawcard is this: once the application is lodged, your parents are usually granted a Bridging Visa A, which lets them stay in Australia lawfully for the whole time they’re waiting — even though, for the low-cost version, that wait can stretch to decades. For families whose parents are already here and simply don’t want to leave, being able to stay together while you wait can matter far more than how long the queue is.

It’s not for everyone, though, and this is exactly the kind of option you don’t want to assume your way into:

Your parents have to already be in Australia on a suitable visa, with no “no further stay” condition — and plenty of visitor visas quietly carry one, which closes this door entirely.
They have to be old enough for the age pension.
And crucially, a bridging visa doesn’t automatically come with Medicare. Whether your parents get any public health cover depends on their country and their situation — and for families from countries without a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia, it can mean paying for private cover for a long time.

If your parents are already here and you’re even half-thinking about this, get it checked before their current visa runs down. The timing and conditions are unforgiving, and they’re impossible to fix after the fact.

The mistakes I see most often

Assuming a tourist visa is “good enough” long-term. It works for a visit, but not for the kind of settled, year-round presence most families are actually picturing.
Lodging the cheap permanent visa without understanding the wait. See above. Cheaper on paper is not always the right call.
Forgetting to plan for health cover and ageing. A 65-year-old parent on a 5-year visa is, by the end of it, 70 — and health insurance and care needs change. Plan for the whole stay, not just the arrival.
Leaving it too late. Caps, queues and a parent’s age all work against you. The earlier you understand your options, the more of them you’ll still have.

So what should you actually do?

Start by getting clear on two things: what you can realistically afford, and how soon you want your parents here. Those two answers usually point straight to either the long-term permanent route, the practical temporary one, or a combination of both over time.

And please — before you pay any government fee or lodge anything, get the specifics checked for your own family. Fees, processing times and caps change without much warning, and the figures above are approximate guides for 2026, not quotes. The right pathway depends entirely on your circumstances, your parents’ ages and your own situation as the sponsor.

It’s a big decision. But the families who plan early and go in with their eyes open are the ones who end up with grandma at the dinner table — and honestly, that’s the whole point.

For families considering a parent visa, getting the right advice early can make a significant difference to timelines, costs and eligibility. Gobinda Sharma, a Registered Migration Agent (MARA 0852408) and co-founder of Visa Advisor Pty Ltd in Sydney, has helped many Australian families navigate parent, partner and skilled migration pathways. If you’re unsure which parent visa may be suitable for your circumstances, you can complete a free eligibility assessment through Visa Advisor with no cost or obligation. Gobinda’s migration agent registration can also be independently verified through the Australian Government’s MARA register.

Quick questions, honest answers

How much does it cost to bring a parent to Australia?

For the permanent Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143), roughly $48,000 per parent in government charges — close to $95,000 for a couple — plus medicals, police checks and any professional fees. The temporary Sponsored Parent visa (subclass 870) is far cheaper: around $5,735 for 3 years or $11,470 for 5 years per parent. (Approximate 2026 figures — always confirm current rates.)

How long is the wait?

The permanent contributory visa currently sits at around 12–15 years. The low-cost non-contributory parent visa effectively runs to 30+ years. The temporary 870 is usually decided in months, not years. The long permanent waits come down to supply: just 8,500 parent visa places are available across the whole country under the 2025–26 Migration Program.

Can my parents stay in Australia while they wait?

Sometimes. If they’re already here, of age-pension age, and on a visa with no “no further stay” condition, the onshore aged parent route can let them remain on a bridging visa during the wait. It’s powerful but conditional — get it checked before relying on it.

Do parent visa holders get Medicare?

Only once a permanent parent visa is granted. On the temporary 870, and generally while on a bridging visa, there’s no automatic Medicare — your parents will likely need private health cover, especially if they’re from a country without a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia.

This information is general in nature and does not constitute migration advice. Information is general only — government fees, processing times and visa rules change frequently, so always verify the current details for your situation. Visa outcomes are not guaranteed and are made at the sole discretion of the Department of Home Affairs. For advice specific to your circumstances, consult a registered migration agent.

About the author

Gobinda Sharma is a Registered Migration Agent (MARA 0852408) and co-founder of Visa Advisor Pty Ltd in Sydney, where he helps families across the Eastern Suburbs and beyond with skilled, partner and family migration.

Not sure which parent visa fits your family? You can do a free eligibility check at visaadvisor.com.au/free-australian-visa-assessments — no cost, no obligation. You can verify Gobinda’s registration any time at mara.gov.au.

Gobinda Sharma · Registered Migration Agent · MARA 0852408