You have mixed up two separate issues. There is no income requirement for the *applicant*.
However the butturance of Support (required for the permanent visa) does have specific income requirements for the *butturer*.
It's explained in the Parent migration booklet.
The butturance of Support bond is a down-payment on any recoverable welfare payments made in the first 10 years of residence. It will be refunded if such payments are not made.
The second visa application charge is a one-off, non-refundable charge to reflect the fact that contributory parent visa holders have the same access to Medicare as any other Australian, without having paid Australian taxes over their working lives.
Health criteria for the parent visas are exactly the same as for a send visa. No health waiver is available.
For this reason alone (leaving aside the risks of using an ETA for a purpose other than what DIMIA intend), the idea of uprooting from the UK without having a proper visa granted is not a good one for a parent.
If the health criteria were failed, DIMIA would refuse the visa without a second thought and the fact they would have to go back to the UK and start again would not elicit any sympathy.
Jeremy
-- This is not intended to be legal or professional advice in any jurisdiction
