A young woman could be deported from Australia after half a decade due to a change in immigration rules
Caitlin Fraser moved from Scotland to Australia in 2019 on a working holiday visa but quickly fell in love with the country and wanted to stay long term.
The now-31-year-old secured a Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa in 2023, which would last two years, after a small Sydney restaurant agreed to sponsor her as a manager.
While in the role, Ms Fraser worked full-time, paid her taxes and adopted a rescue dog, Billie, who has become her closest companion.
She planned to reapply for another TSS visa which would bridge the time between her first visa and her application for a Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) Visa to become a permanent resident.
But a change to Australia's skilled migration list meant the occupation 'restaurant manager' was not included, which means she cannot renew the crucial TSS visa.
'I'm not sleeping at the moment out of fear, I don't know what's going to happen,' she told Nine News.
Due to the change, Ms Fraser must leave Australia when her current visa expires, just two weeks short of meeting the two-year full-time work requirement for a Temporary Residence Transition visa.
She said she only has nine weeks remaining to apply for something that will cost $4900.
The visa agent handling her case, Edupi, has an additional professional fee of $5500.
It is not the first time Ms Fraser has been forced to source thousands of dollars to secure her visa status in Australia.
She initially paid roughly $14,000 to secure her current TSS visa with the help of an immigration lawyer.
Ms Fraser said she is frustrated by changes to the visa rules which have left her ineligible for permanent residency.
'The injustice is insane,' she said.
'This should be for new people applying, not for someone who's at the end of the visa. This isn't what I paid for.'
The change was introduced in December last year when the Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced Ms Fraser's current one.
Those already living in Australia with a TSS have been permitted to stay until the visa expires but it cannot be renewed.
Some are able to apply for the SID but Ms Fraser's role as restaurant manager is not included on the required jobs list.
'Whilst the occupation... was previously available for nomination for a Temporary Skills Shortage visa, the occupation has not been included on the Core Skills Occupation List,' a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said.
'It is therefore ineligible for nomination for a SID visa.'
Ms Fraser's cousin Megan Brokenshow has also launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds to help Caitlin remain in the country.
'She's worked so hard to stay here and build a life,' she said.
'It's heartbreaking to think she could be forced to leave because of a technicality.'
On Saturday afternoon, the fundraiser had successfully received $2132 of the $7000 target.
If Ms Fraser is unable to secure or pay for a new visa before her TSS visa expires, she'll be forced to leave Australia on September 14.
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