We use cookies for statistical purposes.

Our Articles

Obtain a Retirement Visa in Australia

Obtain a Retirement Visa in Australia

Foreigners can migrate to Australia during their retirement years, by selecting one of the visas that are created for this purpose. Currently, there are few immigration pathways for those who want to obtain a retirement visa in Australia.

Our immigration lawyer in Australia can present the eligibility criteria applicable to each of the retirement visas and can help you prepare the application file.

What retirement visas are available in Australia?


The law on immigration to Australia currently regulates 4 types of retirement visas. These visas can also create the opportunity to relocate to Australia on a permanent basis, for foreign retirees who want to stay here more than just few years and enjoy the Australian lifestyle.

At the moment, one can obtain a retirement visa in Australia when applying for any of the following:

  • the Retirement visa (Subclass 410) – not available for first-time applicants with the exception of the partners of persons who are the holders of this visa type;
  • the Investment Retirement Visa (Subclass 405) – it allows the foreign retiree to arrive here with the partner/spouse;
  • one can arrive here by applying for the Parent visa (Subclass 103);
  • another option is the Contributory Parent visa (Subclass 143).

How can one obtain the Contributory Parent visa in Australia?


The Subclass 143 is designed for eligible foreign retirees who are the parents of Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents. It is also addressed to New Zealand citizens who want to migrate to Australia.

A major advantage for those who will obtain a retirement visa in Australia under the Subclass 143 is that this visa type offers permanent residency.

In order to obtain this visa, it is necessary to comply with all the eligibility criteria. This might also imply that the applicant is not a previous holder of certain Australian visas, such as the Subclass 870.

On the opposite side, one can apply for this visa in the case in which one has already obtained the Subclass 173 visa, issued as a temporary visa for the parents of Australian residents or citizens.

Our Australia migration lawyer can present other situations that can influence the outcome of the visa application.

The conditions to obtain a retirement visa in Australia are rather strict and there are 2 types of situations that can appear: 1) when the foreigner applies as the parent of the Australian citizen/resident or 2) when the foreigner applies as a foreign retiree.

If you arrive here for residence in Australia as a family member of an Australia citizen/permanent resident, there are, of course, other visa pathways.

Some options would be the Subclass 600 – Sponsored family stream, the Subclass 114 – Aged Dependent Relative visa, Subclass 838 – Aged Dependent Relative visa, Subclass 835 – Remaining Relative visa, Subclass 116 – Carer visa, etc.

Depending on the selected option, the applicant will have different eligibility criteria to respect, according to the Department of Home Affairs.

For instance, foreigners who will apply as retirees will not have to comply with the following: 1) meet the balance of family test, 2) have assurance of support, 3) have a sponsor.

For all other applicants, the above mentioned conditions are compulsory for a successful visa application.

In order to obtain a retirement visa in Australia under the Subclass 143, all applicants should meet the health and character requirements, prove that they don’t owe any debts to the Australian authorities (them or their family members living in Australia) and others.

Please mind that the Australian institutions can deny access to this visa to applicants who tried to apply for other visas in Australia in the past and such visas were cancelled/refused.

Besides the conditions mentioned here, others can apply as well. This is why we highly recommend you to contact our immigration lawyer in Australia, for an in-depth presentation on all the aspects that are of importance in this case.

Our lawyer can help you obtain a retirement visa in Australia; you can also receive legal advice on other visa types available under the local law.

If you want to know more details on other matters regulated by the immigration law, such as citizenship in Australia, you can rely on our team of immigration lawyers.

Citizenship can be obtained only in specific conditions which differ based on the connection the foreigner has with this country. Where there aren’t any connection, the only available pathway is through conferral.