Key Points
- Retirees Yuwei Li and Mary Zhang moved to Australia to be closer to their children.
- They cannot access welfare while in Australia due to strict requirements.
- Both say they may move back to China because of more efficient healthcare and aged care.
In a Melbourne park, a group of Chinese seniors participate in a square dance routine, a fitness activity popular in mainland China.
The dance, often set to electronic remixes of folk songs or pop music, brings a slice of home to Australia.
Leading the group is 62-year-old Yuwei Li who moved to Australia from Shenzhen four years ago. Currently on a family visit visa, she is waiting for her Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143).
"My whole family supports me because they see the joy it brings me," Yuwei said. "Dancing helps release stress, lifts my mood, and keeps me healthy."
The Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) allows parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens to live permanently in Australia.
Despite processing times of more than 12 years, the visa grants permanent residency including access to Medicare and potential eligibility for Centrelink benefits.
Unlike general family visas, the 143 requires a higher contributory fee ($48,495) but offers faster processing.
Beyond fitness, Yuwei’s dance group offers retirees a place to socialise and connect.
Many, like Yuwei, moved to Australia to be near their children but still struggle with the emotional challenges of being far from home.
Yuwei Li says while she enjoys her new life in Australia, she misses her homeland. Credit: Supplied / Yuwei Li
However, since her parents were still in China, she constantly had to travel back and forth to care for them.
A new life in Australia
Among Yuwei’s dance group is 83-year-old Mary Zhang, who made the decision to move to Australia three years ago to be with her only child.
Though retirement in Australia wasn’t her original plan, family ties led her to make the move.
"It wasn’t really my decision to retire in Australia. I came because my only child is here," Mary said.
Beyond dancing, these retirees spend much of their time helping with household chores, like looking after grandchildren or cooking meals.
Yuwei dedicates at least four hours a day to family tasks, and Mary, despite being told not to clean, still insists on tidying up for her grandchildren and daughter-in-law.
Mary Zhang says she can't help cooking and cleaning for her family. Credit: Supplied / Mary Zhang
"My (grand) children tell me, ‘Mum, you don’t have to clean our rooms', but I still want to. I go ahead and tidy up for them anyway."
Income and residency requirements
A Centrelink spokesperson told SBS Chinese that for people to qualify for the Age Pension in Australia, they generally needed to have been an Australian resident for at least 10 years in total. For at least five of these years, there must be no break in residence.
Additionally, an income test is applied. If a person's income exceeds certain thresholds, their pension will be reduced. Income includes earnings from work, savings, shares, and superannuation.
For single individuals, if their fortnightly income exceeds $212, their pension will be reduced by 50 cents for every dollar over this amount.
In the case of couples, if their combined fortnightly income exceeds $372, the pension will be reduced by 25 cents for each dollar over that amount.
Language barriers and healthcare access
While the proximity to their children brings joy, many elderly migrants face challenges, especially with language barriers when accessing healthcare services.
The biggest challenge for elderly migrants is the language barrier, according to Yuwei.
Grocery shopping was fine — they could figure out how to pay, she said.
Chinese seniors in Melbourne meet to square dance together. Credit: SBS Chinese
"If there were Chinese-speaking doctors offering a full range of services, we wouldn’t have to worry," she added.
"I have glaucoma and very poor eyesight. I’ve had laser surgery twice here in Melbourne, but to be honest, medical terms are really unfamiliar to us. We need better translation support."
Welfare and misunderstandings about elderly migrants
Yuwei and Mary say that locals sometimes question whether they migrated to Australia to take advantage of welfare benefits.
But the reality is that government assistance has strict eligibility criteria, including long residency and financial conditions.
"I don’t qualify for benefits because I’ve only been here for three years," Mary said.
"Even for those on the 103 parent visa, the wait to access certain benefits has increased to 10 years. So I don’t receive an Australian pension — I rely on my Chinese pension."
"I haven’t experienced any welfare benefits yet because I’m not a permanent resident," Yuwei said.
Income limits for receiving the Age Pension in Australia, Credit: Centrelink
Instead, they contributed to Australian society in their own ways, she said.
Jenny Tang works in the aged care industry. Credit: SBS Chinese
'Medical care in China is much faster'
Yuwei and Mary both said they might eventually return to China in their later years, mainly due to the shorter waiting times in the healthcare system and lower costs of aged care.
"Honestly, medical care in China is much faster. You walk in, get an appointment immediately — CT scans don’t even require waiting," Yuwei said.
"Even if home care in Australia reaches HCP Level 4 (the highest level of Australia's Home Care Package, designed for elderly people who need the most intensive care support), can it really provide 24-hour assistance for basic needs like using the bathroom?" Mary said.
"It’s hard to say. That’s why I’m uncertain. But in China, robotic care-giving services cost just a few thousand yuan, (so) why not ease our children’s burdens?"
Choosing to cherish the present
For now, however, both Mary and Yuwei said they chose to cherish the present and enjoy life.
"I love making friends. I have friends both in China and overseas. While I can still travel, I want to see the world," Mary said.
"I believe a good mindset is what truly matters. Whether in China or Australia, life can be wonderful," Yuwei shared.
