This week many international students looking for university opportunities to Australia were abandoned by the Federal Government’s 2 week delay in the wake of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. Morrison’s government announced in the past week that 200,000 students from overseas, and fully vaccinated visa holders would have access to return to Australia for study and work. As of December 1st, the reopening of the country was available to South Korean and Japanese people with a valid visa.
However, as a spin is put on most politics the Government has changed it’s policy and delayed international students for a fortnight.
We said let’s get Australians home first, and that’s been occurring, and so from next month we will welcome back students.
Scott Morrison
As of December 1st, valid visa holders with proof of double vaccination were able to come to Australia from South Korea and Japan. Now that is not the case…
Visas
| Subclass 200 – Refugee visa |
| Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa |
| Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa |
| Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa |
| Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa |
| Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa |
| Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa |
| Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream) |
| Subclass 407 – Training visa |
| Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa |
| Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa |
| Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa |
| Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa |
| Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa |
| Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa |
| Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa |
| Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa |
| Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 500 – Student visa |
| Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants) |
| Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa |
| Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa |
| Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa |
| Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa |
Many international students across RMIT have been able to get by with access to online learning with Collaborate Ultra. Some students have graduated successfully without even setting foot within the country. Sadly for students beginning in 2020 on a 3 year course, the chances of visiting the country of origin for there degree has been crushed again.
Instead of being permitted to enter the country from the 1st of December, international students are now set to arrive from the 15th, although Health Minister Greg Hunt said he wasn’t “making any guarantees” about the date when asked this week.
With advancements in State Government policies towards quarantine from the Delta strain, a deadly exposure to Omicron would be a disaster for Australian universities. As time goes on with a further delay, and 9 cases of the new strain as of yesterday it may be too late already to allow international students across the border for good.
In a recent survey from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment mid-year evidence showed that universities across Australia experienced a dramatic decline in the number of enrolments and course commencements in 2021. If the state of affairs continues, we may not see new bright faces into the empty halls of universities again.
With softer borders in other countries such as Canada, UK and US the only option for an international education is to abandon Australia all together and already this is the case for many. In comparison as of December 1st the US’s fully vaccinated rate stood at 59.5% with a much larger and spread population than Australia at 87.7%.
With the longest delay we are now one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. Australia’s issue is that the government shuts the borders without a slow process leading flights ready for departure to suddenly have to cancel. Students need a solid plan to rely on, rather than a shift to wait for evidence in other countries like lab rats. As strains come and go like the flu in the near future, the government needs to take a stance as one of the safest countries in the world against COVID-19 to rebuild the economy.
Article Written by Catalyst Editor Jasper Riley