Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143

Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 — Bringing Your Parents to Australia Permanently 

For adult children who have built their lives in Australia, one of the most meaningful migration goals is being able to bring their parents to live permanently nearby. The Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 is the permanent parent visa pathway designed for exactly this — allowing eligible parents of settled Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens to migrate to Australia and live here permanently. 

The trade-off for the faster processing that comes with the contributory category is cost. The Subclass 143 is one of the more expensive visas in the Australian migration system, with government fees currently around AUD $48,365 per applicant. For many families, however, the combination of permanent residency and a processing time that is significantly shorter than the non-contributory alternative (Subclass 103, where wait times can exceed 30 years) makes the Subclass 143 the practical choice. 

At FTS Visa Services, our MARA-registered migration agents help families across Parramatta, Sydney, Melbourne, and beyond navigate the parent visa pathway — from initial eligibility assessment through to application lodgement and ongoing support during the processing period. 

What Is the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143? 

The Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 is a permanent visa that allows eligible parents to live in Australia permanently. It is part of the contributory parent visa category — so named because applicants make a larger financial contribution to the Australian Government compared to non-contributory parent visa applicants, in exchange for priority processing placement. 

The Subclass 143 provides: 

• Permanent residence in Australia 
• The right to live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely 
• Access to Medicare 
• The ability to sponsor eligible relatives for Australian visas 
• A pathway to Australian citizenship for those who meet the eligibility criteria 

Key Facts at a Glance 

Detail	Information
Visa Type	Permanent
Government Fee (First Instalment)	Approximately AUD $4,640 at lodgement
Government Fee (Second Instalment)	Approximately AUD $43,600 before grant
Total Government Cost	Approximately AUD $48,365 per applicant
Processing Time	The Department indicates at least 12 years for new applications in some categories — see note below
Pathway From	Can be preceded by Subclass 173 (Contributory Parent Temporary)
Leads To	Eligibility for Australian citizenship

A note on processing time: The Department’s published guidance indicates that a new Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 application may take at least 12 years to process for applicants entering the queue now. Processing times are subject to annual migration program allocations and can change. Applicants who hold a Subclass 173 (Contributory Parent Temporary visa) may have different processing timeframes. Always verify current processing time estimates at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. 

Who Can Apply for the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143? 

Eligibility for the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 depends on several factors: 

You must be the parent of a settled Australian child. Your child must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen who is settled in Australia — meaning they have been a permanent resident or citizen for a substantial period and genuinely intend to remain. 

You must satisfy the Balance of Family Test. This test requires that at least half of your children live lawfully and permanently in Australia, or that more of your children live in Australia than in any other single country. This test must be met at both lodgement and at the time the visa is granted. 

You must have an Assurance of Support. An Assurance of Support (AoS) is a legal commitment by an approved person (usually the sponsoring child) to repay the Australian Government for certain welfare payments made to the visa holder during a specified period. A bond may be required. The AoS is assessed by Services Australia rather than the Department of Home Affairs. 

You must not hold a Sponsored Parent Temporary Visa (Subclass 870) concurrently with a Subclass 143 application. These two visa types cannot be held at the same time. 

You must meet health and character requirements, including medical examinations and police clearances. 

The Balance of Family Test — What It Means in Practice 

The Balance of Family Test is one of the eligibility requirements that catches applicants off guard if not understood clearly. 

To satisfy the test, at the time of application and at the time of grant, either: 

• At least half of your children must be lawfully settled in Australia, or 
• More of your children must live in Australia than in any other single country 

“Lawfully settled” means holding Australian citizenship or permanent residency. Children who are in Australia temporarily — on student visas, temporary work visas, or visitor visas — do not count toward the balance for this test. 

If you have children in multiple countries, the calculation needs careful attention. For example, if you have four children — two in Australia, one in India, and one in the UK — two out of four children are in Australia, satisfying the “at least half” requirement. 

If your family situation is complex or borderline, this is an area where an assessment from FTS Visa Services before lodgement can prevent an application that is ineligible from the start. 

The Assurance of Support 

The Assurance of Support (AoS) for the Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 is a two-year AoS, which means the assurer commits to repaying the government for certain welfare payments received by the visa holder in the first two years after the visa is granted. 

A financial bond is typically required. For a single applicant, the bond amount is currently AUD $10,000. For a couple, it is AUD $14,000. This bond is held by Services Australia and returned after the two-year AoS period if no repayable payments were made. 

The assurer does not need to be the sponsoring child — any eligible person who meets Services Australia’s requirements can provide the AoS. However, it must be in place before the visa can be granted. 

Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143 vs Subclass 173 

Some applicants are not aware that there is a temporary contributory parent visa — the Subclass 173 — that can be used as a stepping stone to the Subclass 143. 

	Subclass 173	Subclass 143
Type	Temporary	Permanent
First instalment fee	Approximately AUD $4,640	Approximately AUD $4,640
Second instalment	Not applicable	Approximately AUD $43,600
AoS period	2 years	2 years
Pathway to	Subclass 143	Australian citizenship (if eligible)

The Subclass 173 allows parents to travel to and live in Australia temporarily while the permanent 143 is in the queue. The second instalment of the government fee is paid when the 143 is granted, not at lodgement of the 173. 

How FTS Visa Services Can Help With Your Subclass 143 Application 

Parent visa applications involve complex eligibility assessments, significant financial commitments, and lengthy processing periods. Getting the application right from the start matters — a withdrawn or refused application means lost time and, in many cases, lost fees. 

FTS Visa Services assists families with: 

• Assessing whether the Balance of Family Test is met before any application is lodged 
• Explaining the Assurance of Support process and the bond requirements 
• Advising on the 173/143 pathway vs a direct 143 application based on individual circumstances 
• Preparing and reviewing application documents 
• Lodging the application and managing correspondence during the processing period 
• Advising on what happens if circumstances change during the processing period (e.g. a sponsoring child’s status changes) 

Related Visa Pathways 

• Family Visa Overview 
• Partner Visa Subclass 820 (Onshore) 
• Partner Visa Subclass 309 (Offshore) 
• Registered Migration Agent Sydney 

Frequently Asked Questions — Contributory Parent Visa Subclass 143