Campaigners have welcomed federal Labor's pledge to introduce a new tourist visa targeted at the parents of migrants.
Labor is proposing a change to the family sponsored stream of the visitor visa to allow parents to stay for three years.
Currently the terms of a three year vistor's visa require parents to return to their home country for six months, after each 12 months spent in Australia.
Opposition Immigration Minister, Richard Marles, says that makes it difficult for communities, particularly from South Asia and China.
Mr Marles says, "There is a cultural tradition of grandparents playing a really significant role in the raising of grandchildren. And of course that's part of how the families work. But it does enable the parents of the child to participate more fully within our economy. Currently it's really hard for first generation communities to have that traditional role played by their parents -- the grandparents -- because if there is a requirement to return every 12 months, back to India or back to China then the continuity required is simply not there."
However, it's important that recipients must have their own private health insurance.
