A Filipino-Thai family living in Toowoomba for more than a decade faces imminent deportation as they await a decision from the Minister for Immigration on whether to exercise discretionary powers under section 351 of the Migration Act. The case was featured in SBS’s Filipino-language news bulletin on 1 February.(sbs.com.au)
The family—parents with four Australian-born children—fell out of status after a business visa pathway collapsed during COVID-19. Despite community petitions and local-church backing, their bridging visas expired last month, leaving the ministerial intervention process as the final avenue to remain.
Human-rights advocates say the matter exemplifies pressure points in Australia’s discretionary system, where only about 6 per cent of such requests succeed. They argue that protracted processing times can disrupt schooling, employment and mental health, especially for children who identify as Australian.
![Filipino-Thai family’s last-minute plea highlights ministerial intervention stakes]()
Specialist assistance can be crucial for families and employers facing similarly complex visa scenarios. VisaHQ, for example, offers end-to-end support for Australian visa applications—from bridging-visa assessments to status tracking—helping applicants avoid lapses and meet tight deadlines. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Corporate mobility teams should note that ministerial-intervention cases can affect workforce planning when long-term employees suddenly lose work rights. HR departments are advised to keep contingency contracts and to monitor staff visa expiry dates at least six months in advance.
The outcome could influence upcoming parliamentary debates on proposed reforms to give the Administrative Appeals Tribunal broader powers to grant “compassionate stay” visas, potentially reducing ministerial caseloads.
The family—parents with four Australian-born children—fell out of status after a business visa pathway collapsed during COVID-19. Despite community petitions and local-church backing, their bridging visas expired last month, leaving the ministerial intervention process as the final avenue to remain.
Human-rights advocates say the matter exemplifies pressure points in Australia’s discretionary system, where only about 6 per cent of such requests succeed. They argue that protracted processing times can disrupt schooling, employment and mental health, especially for children who identify as Australian.
Specialist assistance can be crucial for families and employers facing similarly complex visa scenarios. VisaHQ, for example, offers end-to-end support for Australian visa applications—from bridging-visa assessments to status tracking—helping applicants avoid lapses and meet tight deadlines. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/
Corporate mobility teams should note that ministerial-intervention cases can affect workforce planning when long-term employees suddenly lose work rights. HR departments are advised to keep contingency contracts and to monitor staff visa expiry dates at least six months in advance.
The outcome could influence upcoming parliamentary debates on proposed reforms to give the Administrative Appeals Tribunal broader powers to grant “compassionate stay” visas, potentially reducing ministerial caseloads.
