DEPORTATION FROM AUSTRALIA – French couple who have lived in Australia for 15 years got two weeks to leave AU – a true story.
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A French couple who have lived in Australia for more than 15 years say they are “gutted” after being told they had two weeks to leave the country.
Chef Damien Pigot and his partner Sandrine Mendy have run a cafe at Tweed Heads for the past five years, and, according to their friends, have become part of the area’s “culinary fabric”.
Mr Pigot had hoped the business would bolster his application for permanent residency.
He sought advice from migration agent Kathy Bateman about three years ago, and she was initially optimistic.
“Where there is a legally, viably operating Australian business located in a regional area that has a genuine need for an occupation … essentially there is no reason why an application shouldn’t be successful,” she said.
“[But] there has to be a benefit to Australia, and that usually means employment for Australians.
“I know that Damien made several attempts to recruit locally within the Aboriginal community as well as local schools and children to do traineeships.
“But it just didn’t work out, and anyone who is in small business knows that it’s tough.”
The couple have now been told to leave Australia by October 1.
‘They are part of the community’
Mr Pigot said he made an appeal to the Department of Home Affairs requesting ministerial intervention, but it was rejected.
“The department didn’t even refer my request to the Minister, so he didn’t get to read it, because we don’t meet the guidelines,” he said.
A spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs said it would not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
It said non-citizens who did not hold a valid visa and who had exhausted all avenues to remain in Australia were expected to depart.
Mr Pigot said he could not afford to spend up to $15,000 on a visa. […]
Full article URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-19/french-couple-gutted-to-be-deported-after-15-years-in-australia/10281010
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