Carer Visa (Subclass 116 and 836)
The Carer visa allows an eligible relative to live permanently in Australia and provide ongoing substantial care to an Australian relative, or a member of that relative's household, who has a long-term medical condition and no reasonable access to suitable care in Australia.
A medical condition alone is not enough. Bupa Medical Visa Services must assess the care recipient, and the application must establish that suitable care cannot reasonably be provided by another relative or through Australian welfare, hospital, nursing or community services.
Subclass 116 and 836 explained
Subclass 116 is the offshore Carer visa. The applicant must be outside Australia when applying and when Home Affairs makes its decision.
Subclass 836 is the onshore pathway. The applicant must be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when applying and when the visa is decided. They must also meet the applicable substantive-visa and onshore application requirements.
Benefits after grant
Who can receive the care?
The person requiring care must be the applicant's Australian relative or a member of that relative's family who lives in the same household. The relevant Australian relative must generally be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia.
The medical condition must create a need for ongoing substantial care and assistance with practical aspects of daily life. The need must be expected to continue for the period specified by the applicable migration rules and medical assessment.
Bupa medical assessment
The care recipient must obtain a medical assessment from Bupa Medical Visa Services. The resulting certificate must confirm the relevant medical condition and level of care required for the Carer visa pathway.
A report from a treating doctor can support the case but does not replace the required Bupa assessment. The application should also clearly explain the daily care tasks, frequency, duration and why the applicant is personally able to provide them.
No reasonable access to care in Australia
The applicant must demonstrate that the care recipient cannot reasonably obtain the required care from another relative in Australia or from Australian hospital, nursing, welfare or community services.
Evidence should address available relatives, their location and capacity, attempted services, waiting lists, eligibility, cost, suitability and whether those services actually meet the assessed care needs. Preference for care by a particular relative is not, by itself, sufficient.
Applicant and sponsor requirements
The applicant must be willing and able to provide continuing substantial care and must understand the medical condition and care plan. They and included family members must meet health, character, identity, Australian Government debt and values requirements.
An eligible relative or that relative's partner must sponsor the applicant, and Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship. For Subclass 116, sponsorship support applies for the applicant's first two years in Australia.
How the Carer visa process works
Select the correct subclass
Determine whether offshore Subclass 116 or onshore Subclass 836 matches the applicant's location and visa status.
Arrange the Bupa assessment
Obtain the prescribed medical certificate for the person who requires care.
Document the care gap
Show why relatives and Australian care services cannot reasonably provide the required support.
Prepare visa and sponsorship
Lodge the prescribed Other Family visa and sponsorship forms with relationship, care and eligibility evidence.
Queue and final assessment
Complete health, character, Assurance of Support and updated evidence requirements when Home Affairs requests them.
Assurance of Support
An Assurance of Support is generally required before grant. It is a separate legal undertaking intended to prevent the applicant and included family from relying on specified recoverable Australian Government payments during the assurance period.
The assurer must satisfy Services Australia requirements and may need to provide a bond. The assurer and the visa sponsor do not necessarily need to be the same person.
Queue and processing expectations
Carer visas form part of the capped and queued Other Family program. Applications undergo an initial assessment and, if eligible, wait in the queue until a program place becomes available for final processing.
Applicants should expect a lengthy process, keep medical and family circumstances updated, maintain lawful status where relevant and check the current Other Family visa queue release information.
Location and onshore visa considerations
Subclass 116 requires the applicant to be outside Australia at lodgement and decision. Subclass 836 requires the applicant to be in Australia, but not in immigration clearance, at both stages.
For Subclass 836, the applicant must hold or have recently held an eligible substantive visa and satisfy all onshore application rules. Visa conditions, refusals, cancellations, Schedule 3 criteria, bridging-visa arrangements and travel can affect application validity and outcome.
Important Carer Visa Considerations
- Obtain the prescribed Bupa medical assessment.
- Show a genuine need for ongoing substantial care.
- Prove no reasonable care options are available in Australia.
- Demonstrate the applicant's ability to provide the required care.
- Have an eligible relative and approved sponsorship.
- Follow the correct offshore or onshore location rules.
- Prepare for capped and queued processing.
Including family members
Eligible members of the applicant's family unit may be included, subject to health, character, dependency and location requirements. All family members must be declared, even if they are not migrating.
Documents commonly required
Evidence may include passports, birth and marriage records, sponsor status and settlement documents, the Bupa medical certificate, treating-practitioner reports, a detailed care plan, evidence about unavailable relatives and services, statements from the care recipient and applicant, proof of the household relationship, police certificates, health examinations and Assurance of Support documents.
How Echoes Global Education can assist
Our migration team can identify the correct subclass, assess the family and sponsor relationship, guide the Bupa assessment process, build evidence addressing unavailable Australian care options and assist with the visa and sponsorship applications.