Son’s Down Syndrome Results in Denial of Permanent Residency

By Tomasz Stasiuk, November 1st, 2008 | Personal Stories | 2 Comments

Here is a story of a doctor living and working in Australia to help with a shortage of doctors, denied permanent residency because his son has down syndrome. 

Bernhard Moeller came to Australia with his family two years ago to help fill a doctor shortage in a rural area of Victoria state.

His temporary work visa is valid until 2010, but his application for permanent residency was rejected this week. The immigration department said Moellers 13-year-old son, Lukas, “did not meet the health requirement.”

“A medical officer of the Commonwealth assessed that his sons existing medical condition was likely to result in a significant and ongoing cost to the Australian community,” a departmental spokesman said in a statement issued Thursday by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

I find the story amazing. The country is happy to have the doctor there to treated patients, and to continue living there, along with his son with down syndrome, through at least 2010.

But, they refuse to let the father and son stay in Australia on a permanent basis because of the son’s medical condition.  What do you think?

AFRA_Newshawk : Message: Residency Denied to Disabled Boy – Down Syndrome .

Tomasz Stasiuk is the founding attorney of the Stasiuk Firm - a law firm devoted to exclusively handling Social Security disability cases in Colorado. Contingent fees available.