The 590 visa lets a parent or guardian live in Australia to care for a student under 18. Conditions apply. Registered migration agents in Brisbane.
The Student Guardian visa, subclass 590, lets a parent or a suitable relative or guardian come to Australia to look after an international student who is under 18. If your child is studying here on a Student visa (500) and is too young to live alone, the 590 is how you stay with them and provide the care and support they need. It’s a temporary visa, and it’s tied closely to the student’s course and welfare.
Our team handles both the migration and the education side, so we set up the student’s visa and the guardian’s 590 as one plan. Here’s how the 590 works and what conditions come with it.
The 590 lets you stay in Australia to provide accommodation, welfare and general support to a student who is under 18, or in limited cases an older student who needs support for exceptional reasons. It’s part of the work, business and study visas group, and it usually runs for as long as the student needs a guardian, often until they turn 18. It’s a support role, not a work or study visa, and the conditions reflect that.
Because the whole visa depends on the student’s situation, it makes sense to plan the 590 alongside the student’s course choice and their study in Australia plan from the start.
To hold a 590, you generally need to be one of the following in relation to the student:
A parent, or someone who has legal custody of the student.
A relative who is at least 21 years old and of good character.
You also need to show that you’ll provide accommodation, financial support and general welfare for the student, that you have enough funds to support yourself and them, and that you meet health and character requirements. The student normally has to be studying, or about to study, on a valid student visa.
The 590 is a support visa, and the conditions make that clear. In general, while you hold a 590 you:
Can’t work in Australia. The visa is for supporting the student, not for employment.
Can only study in limited ways. You may be able to do a short course, but you can’t undertake full-time study like a student visa holder.
Must remain the student’s guardian and keep providing accommodation and support, and you generally can’t leave the student in Australia without you while you travel, unless approved arrangements are in place.
Must maintain adequate health arrangements for yourself and the student.
These conditions matter, because breaching them can put the visa at risk. We make sure you understand them clearly before you arrive, so there are no accidental missteps.
The most common mistake families make is treating the student’s visa and the guardian’s visa as two separate jobs. They’re not. The 590 depends on the student’s enrolment, age and welfare arrangements, and a gap or mismatch between the two can cause problems. Because we do both education and migration, we line up the course, the student visa and the 590 together, so the family’s plan holds as one.
If a parent only wants to visit for a shorter period rather than act as an ongoing guardian, a Visitor visa (600) may suit better, and we’ll help you weigh that up.
We confirm whether you qualify as a guardian and whether the 590 is the right visa.
We prepare the 590 application and the welfare and support evidence it needs.
We line the 590 up with the student’s course and student visa so both work together.
We explain the visa’s conditions clearly so you don’t breach them by accident.
We respond to the department’s requests and keep the family updated.
It’s a temporary visa that lets a parent, guardian or suitable relative live in Australia to care for an international student who is under 18. The guardian provides accommodation, financial support and welfare for the student.
Usually a parent or someone with legal custody, or a relative aged at least 21 who is of good character. You have to be able to support the student and meet health and character requirements. We’ll confirm whether you qualify.
No. The 590 doesn’t allow work in Australia. It’s designed for you to support the student, not to be employed. You do need to show you have enough funds to support yourself and the student.
Only in a limited way. You may be able to do a short course, but you can’t undertake full-time study the way a student visa holder can. If study is your goal, a student visa is the right visa.
It generally lasts for as long as the student needs a guardian, which is often until the student turns 18. The length is tied to the student’s course and circumstances, and we’ll confirm what applies to your case.
In some cases you can include another child under a set age in your application, subject to requirements. This is a common question for families, and we’ll advise you on what’s possible for your situation.
Once the student no longer needs a guardian, the reason for the 590 usually ends. If you want to stay in Australia beyond that, you’d need to look at another visa. We can help you plan the next step before it becomes urgent.
Generally the student can’t be left in Australia without you unless approved welfare arrangements are in place. If you need to travel, talk to us first so the student’s welfare arrangements are handled properly and the visa isn’t put at risk.
Both of you need adequate health arrangements while you’re in Australia. The student’s arrangements and yours are linked to your visas, and we’ll help you make sure both are covered so nothing is missed.
