By Jano Gibson and Alexis Moran
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told visitor visa holders and international students the time has come to return to their home countries as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
After meeting with the National Cabinet on Friday, Mr Morrison said those in Australia who are here under various visa arrangements and cannot support themselves that “there is the alternative for them to return to their home countries”.
“Australia must focus on its citizens and its residents to ensure that we can maximise the economic supports that we have,” he said.
However, the Prime Minister stated international visitors who have critical skills could be the exception.
“For those backpackers in Australia who are nurses or doctors, or have other critical skills that can really help us during this crisis, then there will be opportunities for them,” he said.
“But our focus and our priority is on supporting Australians and Australian residents with the economic supports that are available.”
Mr Morrison said there still remained a number of people in the country on visitor visas.
“As much as it’s lovely to have visitors to Australia in good times, at times like this, if you are a visitor in this country, it is time … to make your way home.”
International students have no access to the Federal Government’s JobSeeker payment and are having to deal with the COVID-19 crisis without the financial safety net available to many Australian citizens and residents.
Mr Morrison pointed out it was a requirement for students who come to Australia to be able to support themselves in their first 12 months of their study.
There are more than 500,000 international students in Australia, many whom have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
One of them is Sunday Mishu, who lost his job as a bartender at Darwin’s Mindil Beach Casino two weeks ago after the venue was forced to close due to national coronavirus restrictions.
A man is seated on a stair case dressed in jeans and a t-shirt
Sunday Mishu said it was unclear what the Prime Minister’s advice would mean for tuition fees.(ABC: Michael Franchi)
“When it first arose it was quite stressful, to be honest,” he said.
“It completely ruined my entire financial plan that I had set out for the year.”
Despite suddenly finding himself unemployed, the 37-year-old Bangladeshi student said he had enough savings to continue studying at Charles Darwin University.
However, he said he believed other international students facing significant financial hardship might still not heed the Prime Minister’s advice to return to their home countries.
“We’ve already paid our fees,” Mr Mishu said.
“So if we choose to leave, what are the consequences?
“Do we bear those costs? Or would the university give us our money back?”
Mr Mishu said it was appropriate for the Prime Minister to prioritise Australian citizens and permanent residents.
But he said encouraging international students who could not support themselves to return home could have long-term impacts on Australia’s reputation as an education destination.
“Should we just go back and think about possible future studies once this pandemic is over in another country?”
‘Disappointing to see international students being disregarded’
The Council of International Students Australia (CISA) said the comments from the Prime Minister had left a lot of students with no hope.
“Due to lockdown enforcement in many countries, lots of international students are not able to [return home] at the moment, leaving them struggling everyday,” the council said in a statement.
“Government is forgetting to consider things as their life here, education and if their visa will get extended.
“Because at the end when the COVID-19 passes and we start to get back to our routine, Australia will start marketing its education sector again.
– ABC
