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@5aaban @Kaurr https://singhstation.net/2022/08/sikh-couple-in-south-australia-faces-deportation/ Sikh couple in South Australia faces deportation BySinghStation August 23, 2022 168 Much loved Goolwa couple Navninder Kaur and Vikramjit Singh face the very real prospect of being torn away from the Fleurieu region they call home and deported to India – a country they say they do not know how to live in – after 18 years as “true blue Australians”. The couple have a long history in Goolwa, a town of about 9,000 at the mouth of the Murray River. Together, they ran the local Indian restaurant for almost five years. Navi Kaur and Vik Singh have been living in Australia for 18 years. During this time they operated an Indian restaurant in Goolwa, South Australia, before Kaur moved into aged care. (Provided by Navi Kaur) When uncertainty over her visa situation forced them to close their restaurant last year, Kaur earned her aged care qualifications while on a bridging visa and worked during the second half of the pandemic for Estia Health. However, the couple have until September 30 to leave the country, or face deportation, after their third request for ministerial intervention was rejected last month. More than 35,000 people have so far signed the couple’s petition asking Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to allow them to stay in Australia. “Australia is home for us. This is where we want to be, where we feel we are meant to be,” Kaur said. When uncertainty over their visa situation forced them to close their restaurant last year, Kaur got her qualifications in aged care, while on a bridging visa, and worked through the second half of the pandemic for Estia Health. However, the couple have been given until September 30 to leave the country, or be deported, after their third application for a ministerial intervention was rejected last month. So far, more than 35,000 people have signed the couple’s petition imploring Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to allow them to stay in Australia. “Prior to working with the family they received poor immigration advice and also had several situations where they were exploited,” he said. To get a permanent Australian visa, Kaur and her husband would have to leave the country, unless Immigration Minister Andrew Giles chose to intervene, Glazbrook said. There was a strong case for the minister to allow the couple to stay, he added. “It is an area that during COVID-19 was considered a critical care sector by the Department of the Interior. “So in that situation, you would think there is some merit in allowing him to remain in Australia working for his employer.” Glazbrook said the case of Navi and her husband was as worthy of intervention as other recent cases that had caught the minister’s interest. Earlier this month, Scottish solar electrician Mark Green and his family were granted a last-minute reprieve from deportation after their case attracted media attention and Australia’s Prime Minister of Sud, Peter Malinauskas, presented his case to Giles. Glazbrook is now preparing another state-of-the-art application for Kaur and her husband to consider their case for ministerial intervention, based on their aged care work, community support and other decisions by recent immigration. Local mayor Keith Parkes as well as Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie have written letters in support of the couple to Giles. Mr Parkes said he was happy to support the couple who were “well-loved in the community”. “It’s a shame, they’ve come here, they’ve started a good business with a good following and the community has bought them in, they’ve adapted very well to the community.