Canadian Lauren Vair is having trouble getting Australian residency even though she has two Australian-born children, Brey, 3, and Olivia, 2. Picture: NEIL RICHARDSON
Stringent and tiring visa approval processes nearly tore nurse Lauren Vair's family apart, she claims.
The Canadian-born, Launceston-based mother of two was sent a letter last November instructing her that she had 28 days to leave the country after more than four years studying and working in Tasmania.
Ms Vair came to Tasmania to study nursing on a student visa, fell in love with a Tasmanian and eventually became pregnant.
Her first-born Brey was soon followed by a sister, Olivia.
Content to stay and work in the state, Ms Vair applied first for permanent residency but didn't get it due to not scoring enough points in her exam.
She then applied for a general skilled migration visa based on her four years' study at University of Tasmania, but failed to win approval as the application fell outside the six-month time frame after graduation.
The refusal was despite Ms Vair having secured work in Tasmania as a graduate nurse.
The rejection came with a notice to leave the country in 28 days.
``Literally, I was given 28 days to work out who would take care of my kids,'' Ms Vair said.
``And they're dependant on me - they're two and three years old.''
The state's Economic Department and Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry last week both pushed for more relaxed visa requirements to boost the state's skilled migrant population.
Ms Vair said she agreed, after more than $10,000 spent on application fees and associated costs, not to mention other stresses in awaiting approval.
Ms Vair was recently given one last chance to live in Tasmania through applying for a partner visa.
While she awaits the outcome, she said she would continue to work full-time as a nurse, and plans to study midwifery this year.
According to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Department, midwives, physiotherapists, special-needs teachers and mechanical, civil and electrical engineers are in short supply in Tasmania.