Skilled migrants who live, work, and pay taxes in Australia should not be denied Paid Parental Leave simply because of when they received permanent residency.

The Issue

I have lived in Australia since 2018, completed my Master’s degree, and have been working in allied health (physiotherapy) since 2019. I was on a skilled employer-sponsored visa (subclass 482) until December 2024, when I received permanent residency through a skilled (subclass 189) visa. During this time, I contributed to the healthcare workforce, including in a regional community where allied health professionals are in high demand.

I also worked through the COVID-19 pandemic, when my hours were reduced, yet I did not receive the same government financial support available to others. Despite continuing to contribute, I was excluded from that support as well.

Now, my Paid Parental Leave (PPL) claim has been rejected due to the two-year permanent residency rule.

With a newborn, a single income, and a mortgage, I am facing significant financial stress at a very vulnerable time. It feels deeply unfair to contribute to a system that supports other families, yet be excluded from the same support myself.

This is not just my situation. Many skilled migrants who have already lived and worked in Australia for years are excluded from PPL because time spent contributing before permanent residency is not recognised. This creates a clear policy gap.

Australia relies on skilled migrants, particularly in healthcare and regional areas. Yet current PPL rules fail to reflect these contributions and place unnecessary pressure on families during one of the most important life events.

The Solution

The Australian Government must review and update the Paid Parental Leave legislation to:

recognise time lived and worked in Australia prior to permanent residency

introduce flexibility or case-by-case assessment for long-term contributors

Call to Action

Please support this petition to call on the Australian Government to make Paid Parental Leave fair and inclusive for all families who contribute to Australia.