**Pregnant Welsh Woman Faces Imminent Deportation from Australia After Years Building a New Life**
A woman originally from Wales is anxiously awaiting a life-changing decision from Australian immigration authorities that could see her and her partner deported, despite nearly a decade of living and working in the country they now call home.
Sarah Maxwell, aged 32, is less than ten days away from giving birth to her first child with partner Lewis Christie, 30, who hails from Scotland. The couple have established their lives on Queensland’s popular Gold Coast, investing not only emotionally but financially, as they have reportedly spent in excess of $40,000 on various visa applications and associated costs over the past nine years.
Sarah, who works in child protection for the Queensland government, and Lewis, a personal trainer, have highlighted the insecurity caused by their visa status, which hangs in the balance as they await a possible offer of permanent residency. Their temporary visas are set to expire in August, leaving them in a precarious situation that could see them forced to return to the United Kingdom and leave behind the lives they have painstakingly built.
“Our whole lives are here, and we are proud to call Queensland our home,” said Sarah, who described feeling both proud and grateful for the life they have established. “We have a baby on the way, two dogs, a secure rental home, and jobs we love. Our support networks, healthcare, and pregnancy care are all here in Australia.”
Both Sarah and Lewis have histories of contributing meaningfully to Australian society and the economy, with Sarah having worked on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting vulnerable children and families experiencing homelessness. Her current government-funded role sees her aiding some of Queensland’s most at-risk individuals, adding a poignant dimension to their story as the couple appeals for understanding and support.
The pair’s hopes rest on the possibility of receiving an invitation for the regional skilled visa, known as the 491 Skilled Regional Visa, before August. “We meet all the visa requirements and have more than enough points to be considered by Queensland migration,” Sarah explained. She went on to say that, over the years, they have invested not only financially but have also committed to personal and professional growth, with Sarah upskilling through further studies.
Further complicating matters, Sarah’s employer is unable to sponsor her for a visa, and Lewis does not currently meet sponsorship criteria. Without securing the skilled regional visa, their only viable path to remaining in Australia legally may disappear. They have turned to the public for support, launching a petition and asking for intervention from Australia’s Minister for Immigration, Tony Burke, in the hopes their case might be reviewed with sympathy for their unique circumstances.
The couple’s plight is illustrative of the broader challenges faced by long-term migrants in Australia. Despite integrating into the community and contributing through tax, public service and employment, visa uncertainties continue to leave many in a state of limbo. Australia’s points-based immigration system can be rigorous, and stories like Sarah and Lewis’s highlight its sometimes unforgiving nature, even for those who have made considerable investments in their adoptive country.
“It breaks our hearts to think of leaving everything we have worked so hard for,” Sarah said, voicing fears about the prospect of heading back to the UK with a newborn and starting all over again. “We are not looking for sympathy, only the chance for our family to continue contributing to Australian society as permanent residents.”
Their call for help has resonated with supporters online, many of whom have signed their petition and offered words of encouragement.
As the August deadline approaches, Sarah and Lewis remain hopeful that their application will be favourably reviewed, allowing their new chapter as a family to begin in the place they now call home. For now, they continue to wait – hoping that their long-standing contribution to Australian life will be enough to secure their future.