Velleyen Family: Migrant couple to be deported over visa technicality: Jobs crisis

Hardworking migrant couple and their three children are set to be booted out of Australia after 14 years over a visa technicality – despite the nation facing a major skills shortage

  • Samy and Vinida Velleyen facing deportation with family over visa age cut-off
  • They are skilled workers who have paid taxes with no welfare or Medicare return 
  • After 14 years bringing up three boys in Australia Samy is too old for residency
  • Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra hearing how nation needs more workers

A hardworking migrant couple and there three children are facing the prospect of being kicked out of Australia because of a visa technicality, despite the country facing a crippling skills shortage.

Samy Velleyen is a builder with eight years of training and experience, while his wife Vinida is an aged care cook.

Basically, they’re the types of worker Australia is crying out for in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, and the reason Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called a Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra on Thursday.

The couple have lived in Sydney for 14 years with Mr Velleyen on a four-year working visa and ineligible to apply for residency because new immigration laws lowered the cut-off age from 50 to 45 in 2018.

‘Unfortunately for me, I just turned 46 last year,’ Mr Velleyen told A Current Affair.

‘We have to leave Australia by the 2nd of December this year. All the doors have been closed now, once I pass 45 years old.’ 

As Mr Velleyen has recently changed jobs he needs to reapply for the work visa under a new sponsor.

Until that comes through he and his family could be deemed illegal immigrants. 

‘We are scared that maybe we will end up in the detention centre with the kids,’ a tearful Mrs Velleyen said.

Ms Velleyan said that since the couple came to Australia from Mauritius on student visas they had only dreamed of giving their boys a better life. 

‘We have tried our best to just build a better future for the kids,’ she said. 

‘I have been working very hard to sacrifice, to pay their school fees.

‘If we have to go to hospital, we have to spend lots of money.’

Despite living in Sydney for 14 years and paying taxes for many of those the Velleyen family are facing deportation as the father Samy (pictured right) is one year too old to apply for residency

Mr Velleyen’s boss, Andrew Barkby said his skills and experience aren’t easily replaced.

‘You can’t just get someone tomorrow to fill those shoes,’ he said. 

‘We need Samy. His wife is in aged care, she’s been there for 10 years. Those are two skillsets that we need in this country.’

Picturd: Vinida Velleyen

Picturd: Vinida Velleyen

‘Let’s him get onto his next visa.’ 

Ms Velleyan said uncertainty about staying in Australia was ‘ruling everything in our life’.

If they can’t stay she says the family will ‘have lost everything’ they have worked so hard for. 

Immigration lawyer Adam Byrnes said there were many people in the same situation as Mr Velleyan.

‘If that was reinstated back to, ‘must not have turned 50 at time of visa application’ that would help a lot of people with an extra five years.’

‘A more streamlined ministerial intervention application process will help not just his family but other people who are left stranded.’

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese listen to the summit proceedings

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese listen to the summit proceedings

The desperate need to fill more job vacancies is a major issue being addressed by the Albanese government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra, which kicked off on Thursday. 

There have been calls to fast-track over a million visa applications and waive visa fees as businesses around the country struggle to find enough workers.

Such measures were advocated to help Australia’s dire forecast there could be a shortfall of 1.2 million jobs over the next four years. 

The 140 attendees, comprising political, business and union luminaries will discuss Australia’s migration needs and how to gain the skills Australia needs on Friday.

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