Shocked family of four who have lived in Australia for seven years are told they have two weeks to leave the country as their son with Down syndrome is deemed a ‘burden’ on taxpayers
- The Perth family was refused residence permits
- Their 10-year-old son has Down syndrome
- Denied residency due to possible costs to the health system
A family of four is facing deportation after the Australian government denied permanent residency because their son with Down syndrome is considered a ‘financial burden’ on society.
Aneesh Kollikkara and Krishnadevi Aneesh, along with their son Aaryan, 10, and daughter Aaryasree, 8, moved to Australia from India seven years ago.
They call Perth home, but the Immigration Department has rejected the family’s application for permanent residency because of the potential costs Aaryan’s disability could have on the health system.
The parents’ application was rejected in mid-2021 after it was submitted in February the year before.
The family have now been told they have less than two weeks to leave the country after their latest appeal was rejected last month.
Perth parents Krishnadevi Aneesh and Aneesh Kollikkara are fighting to stay in Australia with their children after their permanent residency application was rejected because their 10-year-old son Aaryan has Down syndrome
“We didn’t say anything to (our kids). If our daughter hears that we have to leave the country because of her brother, I don’t know what it will be like,” said Ms. Aneesh. SBS news.
Mr. Kollikkara works in telecommunications while Ms. Aneesh works as a cybersecurity expert – both are considered critical industries.
Our children have known no other home than Australia Change.org petition, imploring Immigration Secretary Andrew Giles to intervene.
“To now demand that we go to India is a serious step backwards in their development.”
Friends of the family labeled the government’s justification “sickening” and “fundamentally worrying.”
“The Australian government’s argument is that Aaryan is a ‘burden’ on the taxpayer,” the petition reads.
“To consider this appropriate is sickening. But the ability shown in our case is fundamentally concerning.
“The CMO has assessed the cost to the taxpayer if Aaryan were to have access to all disability services at a very high cost.
“The reality is that Aaryan has no access to any service. And this will probably never change.’
Aneesh and Krishna wrote a letter to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles (pictured) desperately begging him to intervene
The parents claim that any taxpayer-funded services their son could potentially use in the future are “well and truly” covered by the significant tax they already pay.
Ms Aneesh said her son would not be accepted in India as he was in Australia.
“The culture, the society, everything here is very different from India and also it will be very difficult for Aaryan to survive there (disability) because of this,” she told the ABC.
“Even though he has Down syndrome, he’s really healthy… he has the same physical abilities as any other child.”
The family now hopes that Mr. Giles can approve their application and allow them to stay in the town where their children grew up.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.
A spokesman for Mr Giles told the SBS that the minister is aware of the case but would not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
Aneesh Kollikkara and Krishnadevi Aneesh, along with their son Aaryan, 10, and daughter Aaryasree, 8, immigrated to Australia from India seven years ago. Both parents work in critical industries and claim that the tax they pay covers any services their son might need in the future