Blind Sikh social worker denied permanent visa

Vikram singh · #1 (**permalink**) 01-May-2010, 05:52 AM

A Sikh woman who has been legally listed as blind has been refused a permanent visa in Australia.
Her disability has been used against her by the Immigration Department.
Simran Kaur, 29, came to Melbourne in 2007 on a student visa with her husband, Jasmeet Singh. She had obtained a master's degree in social work in India and completed a diploma in community welfare and development here last year.
Ms Kaur was born with retinal macular dystrophy. She is not completely blind: her vision is described as 6/60 and her condition is considered stable. The poor vision has not stopped her from living independently and she has been a social worker in India, The Age newspaper has reported.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-news/30239-blind-sikh-social-worker-denied-permanent.html
Last month, the department denied her a permanent 886 skilled-sponsored visa, after a medical examination by a Commonwealth medical officer assessed her as not meeting health requirements. The officer said she met the criteria for legal blindness and she would be eligible for the blind or disability pension ''in due course''.
''Such a person with this condition and severity, staying for the proposed duration of stay (permanent), would likely require the … blind or disability pension. This would result in significant cost to the Australian community,'' the officer wrote.
A Senate inquiry is under way into the treatment of people with disabilities who are trying to migrate to Australia.
Ms Kaur will remain in Australia on a temporary visa until an appeal she has lodged with the migration review tribunal is heard. If her appeal is lost, she faces separation from her family. Her brother, an Australian citizen, has been living here for more than 10 years and her mother is a permanent resident. She has no other immediate family in India.
Ms Kaur is keen to use her skills in Australia, which has a shortage of social workers. ''It's not that I'm here for the disability pension. I'm here for a better future and a better life,'' she said. ''I'm not even a burden on my family, so how would I be a burden on the Australian community?''
A department spokesman said while it was sympathetic to her situation, people had to meet visa requirements. ''Australian health care resources are finite,'' he said. ''We have a responsibility to the Australian residents, and under Australian law, to help contain public expenditure and ensure Australian residents have access to health and community services.''
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30239
Her immigration lawyer, Stephanie Booker, said Ms Kaur would only contribute to Australian society. If the tribunal backed the department's visa refusal, she would apply to the minister to intervene. ''We feel particularly impassioned about this case because it's just blatant discrimination because of her disability'' she said.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said that in making decisions about visas, the department should consider the positive as well as the negative aspects. He said the Migration Act was not included in discrimination laws.

filozima · #2 (**permalink**) 03-May-2010, 12:59 PM

Really its very sad news.Why they are doing like that? whats their benefit? I think its not good to do like this. The government should do something to them.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30239

deleted a link to commercial web site. Narayanjot Kaur