# Carer

> reg-1.15AA — as in force on 2026-06-01 — F2026C00497 · Compilation No. 287 — https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026C00497/latest/text

1.15AA Carer
          (1) An applicant for a visa is a carer of a person who is an Australian citizen usually
              resident in Australia, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New
              Zealand citizen (the resident) if:
                (a) the applicant is a relative of the resident; and
                (b) according to a certificate that meets the requirements of subregulation (2):
                      (i) a person (being the resident or a member of the family unit of the
                          resident) has a medical condition; and
                     (ii) the medical condition is causing physical, intellectual or sensory
                          impairment of the ability of that person to attend to the practical
                          aspects of daily life; and
                    (iii) the impairment has, under the Impairment Tables (within the meaning
                          of subsection 23(1) of the Social Security Act 1991), the rating that is
                          specified in the certificate; and
                    (iv) because of the medical condition, the person has, and will continue for
                          at least 2 years to have, a need for direct assistance in attending to the
                          practical aspects of daily life; and
               (ba) the person mentioned in subparagraph (b)(i) is an Australian citizen, an
                    Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen; and
                (c) the rating mentioned in subparagraph (b)(iii) is equal to, or exceeds, the
                    impairment rating specified in a legislative instrument made by the
                    Minister for this paragraph; and
                (d) if the person to whom the certificate relates is not the resident, the resident
                    has a permanent or long-term need for assistance in providing the direct
                    assistance mentioned in subparagraph (b)(iv); and
                (e) the assistance cannot reasonably be:
                      (i) provided by any other relative of the resident, being a relative who is
                          an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible
                          New Zealand citizen; or









                       (ii) obtained from welfare, hospital, nursing or community services in
                            Australia; and
                  (f) the applicant is willing and able to provide to the resident substantial and
                      continuing assistance of the kind needed under subparagraph (b)(iv) or
                      paragraph (d), as the case requires.
          (2) A certificate meets the requirements of this subregulation if:
               (a) it is a certificate:
                      (i) in relation to a medical assessment carried out on behalf of a health
                          service provider specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing;
                          and
                     (ii) signed by the medical adviser who carried it out; or
               (b) it is a certificate issued by a health service provider specified by the
                   Minister in an instrument in writing in relation to a review of an opinion in
                   a certificate mentioned in paragraph (a), that was carried out by the health
                   services provider in accordance with its procedures.
          (3) The Minister is to take the opinion in a certificate that meets the requirements of
              subregulation (2) on a matter mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) to be correct for the
              purposes of deciding whether an applicant satisfies a criterion that the applicant
              is a carer.