Family faces expulsion from Australia due to daughter's learning difficulties
A Perth family is facing a heart-wrenching situation as they are compelled to leave Australia, their home for over seven years, due to their four-year-old daughter's learning difficulties. The local Perth community is rallying behind them in outrage against this decision.
Navneet Kaur and her husband made the move from India to Australia on student visas back in February 2017. During their time in Australia, their daughter Iris was born. For Iris, Australia is the only home she has ever known.
However, their situation took a painful turn when Navneet's application for a skilled nominated visa was rejected, citing Iris' diagnosed developmental delays. This decision meant that the family was instructed to depart from the country within a mere two weeks.
Navneet Kaur expressed her disbelief, sharing that the government's justification was the projected cost of caring for Iris' needs over the next two years, estimated at $140,000.
This reasoning, she argued, unfairly burdened their family. She underlined that both she and her husband have been gainfully employed, diligently paying taxes, and have not sought any government assistance. Navneet has taken on the financial responsibility for Iris' therapies and activities entirely on her own.
Iris is actively engaged in activities such as swimming, gymnastics, private schooling and specialised therapies – all financed by Navneet.
The family's friends and community members have spoken up in support, highlighting the unjustness of their situation.
Owner Wes D'Arcy of Perth's Jarrah Bar and Café, where Navneet has worked as the head chef for nearly five years, described her as an integral part of their extended family. He expressed his frustration and deemed the government's decision as an insult to her hard work, especially in light of labor shortages in the sector:
The emotional toll on Iris is also profound. Born in Australia, she identifies as Australian, yet her voice is being stifled as she faces displacement from her only known home. The prospect of relocating to India, a foreign culture she has never experienced, is daunting and unsettling.
Navneet Kaur expressed the deep attachment her family has developed to Australia over seven years – an attachment that spans emotional, cultural, and environmental aspects of life. The unexpected expulsion is emotionally devastating.
In response to the situation, community members have taken to social media to share their dismay and call for a compassionate resolution. The sentiment expressed is that a family so clearly contributing to the country, both economically and socially, should be treated with respect and fairness.
“This is unacceptable," wrote one commenter on Facebook. "They are working, paying taxes and positively contributing to Australia. They deserve that respect in return from this country."
Navneet Kaur is planning to appeal her case to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in a last-ditch effort to remain in Australia with her family.
The family's story is touching the hearts of many, shedding light on the complexities of immigration policies and the human lives they impact.
Images: Facebook