Deepak Manuel, an Indian nurse at a NSW hospital is fighting to stay in Australia.
His colleagues say he has been treated unfairly because of his son’s medical condition.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Deepak has also signed a statutory declaration to vow his son’s condition would never be a burden to Australia’s healthcare system.
His $8,500 application for Permanent Residency was rejected on this very ground.
Deepak’s son, Savio, is just five year old and was born with microcephaly.
A condition which was recently seen in babies in South America.
Children born with Microcephaly have head circumferences smaller than average and affected brain development.
NSW doctors say Deepak’s son has a mild to moderate developmental delay.
Deepak’s colleagues respect him for his dedication to Illawarra’s public patients.
Deepak now has to leave Australia with wife Ancy and sons Savio and Jeremy by August 2016.
Deepak, who came to Australia from New Zealand, where he already has a permanent residency status.
Deepak says that his son “doesn’t require any medical attention” and his family has “savings in any case.”
Deepak’s unit manager Patricia Bate-Charlton, is full of praise praises for his expertise in a variety of medical specialties.
Head of orthopedic surgery Dr Greg Stackpool said “We must fight to have our colleague’s unjust decision overturned. We cannot afford to lose this man and his family.”
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection said Deepak has the option of to seeking a review of the decision or applying for a further subclass 457 visa or returning to New Zealand.
Deepak says that they read DIBP’s email notifying rejection until after 17 days it was send to them. Because of disappointment and distress they missed the 21 days’ deadline to appeal the decision.
A spokeswoman for Sharon Bird, the local MP, said that they are doing all in its power to help Deepak.
