Yi Cai thought she had ticked every box.
The 25-year-old Chinese-Australian has a well-paid job as an accountant in Melbourne. Three years ago, she applied for a parent visa for her mother to join her in Australia – and then, when she was promoted last year, she added her father to the application.
But earlier this month, the Turnbull government more than doubled the required salary for sponsors with a quiet change to visa regulations, without needing to pass a bill through Parliament.
Ms Cai now needs to prove she has an annual income of $86,607 to sponsor her two parents – up from just $35,793 under the previous rules.
