Bridging visa running out for Ceser Penuela and family

Since making headlines around the country last year when Mr Penuela and his family were forced to leave Australia due to to a lack of documentation from his previous employer, they have since had a sigh of relief under a bridging visa which was granted in November 2022.

However, there has been no word of a permanent residency visa, which without could land them in the same predicament as last year.

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"We received an extension on our bridging visa type E on February 28 and will go until May 31, but I don't know what will happen after that," Mr Penuela said.

"For now I'm allowed to stay in Australia but it's a temporary waiting visa until the Minister for Immigration decides if we can stay or not."

Mr Penuela said when his story came to public last year, other migrants around Australia found his Facebook profile and made contact with him saying they faced the same situation.

"People told me they came here with their families 10 years ago and are still trying to get permanent residency," Mr Penuela said.

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"Some were in the same situation as me, working for a company that promised permanent residency and at the end did nothing."

Since the bridging visa was granted, Mr Penuela said life was 50/50 for himself and his family.

"We're so happy that we're able to stay in Australia and how the community came forward to support us," Mr Penuela said.

"We've been in different groups in Launceston being part of schools, and soccer clubs and more."

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He said he had repeatedly applied for permanent residency since 2015.

"Still, nothing has been decided."

"We're grateful with what happened, but we don't know what's going to happen after May 31."

Along with visa anxieties, Mr Penuela said he hadn't been paid five years worth of superannuation from his previous employer, and made a claim to the Australian Taxation Office in November last year.

"In February The ATO said they did the investigation with the claim that I put in November and said there was a credit in my favor of $15,000 for the five year period I worked for that company," Mr Penuela said.

"They've sent the information to the company and the ATO will start charging them to pay the money for that period."

He said he also never received his last payslip, and is unsure if there were any entitlements remaining under his name.

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