Australia’s Government Planning to Allow Temporary Migrants & International Students Back into the Country

After an entire year of world lockdown, the Australian Government plans to bring back the international students and other temporary migrants like tourists back to the country. 

Covid-19 brought some serious travelling problems at the ending of 2019, and by the following year was later followed by economic deterioration. While the Australian Government had sent back as many of the temporary migrants they could, the signs of them coming back to the country and start living their everyday lives had been under the shadow even after a year. 

Information from the Australian Government:

According to the newly appointed Immigration Minister, Alex Hawke, the Australian Government plans to reopen the borders just for the temporary migrants as soon as possible. 

In an interview, Alex Hawke said, “We’ve learned one thing out of COVID, and that is we miss the visitors to our economy and temporary visa holders. We want them back as soon as possible. That’s why the Government is rolling out our vaccination program and preparing for the opening of our international borders, so we can have those essential visits from tourists that spend so much money in our country – but also the international student sector, one of our largest export sectors, they value-add so inherently to the Australian economy – we want to get them back. 

International students’ entry plays a massive role for the Australian Government as most of the economic contributions come from international students. In the last five years, the number of international students has been increasing rapidly. Almost about 2,959,037 international students have been enrolled in different Australian universities in the past five years. It is imaginable how many billions of funds Australian governments receive for the country’s development. However, the number of tourists who visit Australia and spend on the assets is also one of the focused groups granted permission to enter the borders.  

The post-covid situation of Australia.

Although the Australian Government made sure as many migrants as possible moved back to their respective countries before the virus started breaking out, the situation started getting worse. The economy dropped due to no tourists and student enrolment. Including the hospitality, shelter, and food providing to the citizens during the lockdown, the situation worsens for Australia. The department of Home Affairs has stated that almost 65% of the students who applied for Australian visas and were supposed to start their education withdrew their names by the second half of 2020. However, it was also stated that by the initial months of 2021, 99% of the students have declined from the country. Only 1% are either the locals of Australia. 

It is very distressing how Australia went from being the country of the most significant international student affairs worldwide to being the country having only locals on the ground. 

As it seems not the Australian Government, but also the citizens in other international countries are sitting back, waiting for a nod to return to their homes. Several migrants who had gone touring or were visiting other countries had not understood what Covid-19 would bring to them. More families are stuck in other countries with hardly any shelter or food for themselves. Many of them have lost their jobs already, and many people are stuck in different countries with their visas that need to be reissued. Few people could have tried to reach the Government regarding the suspended visas, but as said, the Government and helpless unless the vaccines are made come into effect. Although the anguish and helplessness the immigrants feel against the Australian Government is making many of them consider shifting to places like Canada. Not just that, Even the skilled workers are looking for jobs elsewhere to start over and lead a new life. Situations like these are making the Australian Government more worried and tense.  

Australia is one of those countries that majorly depend on immigrants from countries like India, China, Pakistan, etc. 

The Australian Government also believes that the skilled laborers, students, and other immigrants are already either issuing visas for other countries or are planning to shift to other countries and pursue their education or work. 

What is the Government planning to do?

As the Australian immigrant Minister said, bringing back the temporary visa holders students and skilled labor is one of their main goals apart from ensuring all of the citizens, including the temporary visa holders, get vaccinated to continue a safe, healthy, and covid-19 free life. 

It pretty much seems like Australia is under an indirect threat of saving the country and its economic status. 

 However, the Australian Government is currently totally focused on the covid-19 vaccine that can keep the virus away from the country and bring back its citizens. Mr. Hawke has also claimed that Once Australia opens its borders, The temporary visa holders, including the students, skilled laborers, and Temporary residing citizens, along with international tourists, would start applying for an Australian Visa and help the country and its economy to build the way it was. 

The immigrant cc Minister also claims to be confident about Australia’s reputation worldwide, which will help the country grow more potent than before in the near future. Even though it is a moment of distress, Mr. Hawke believes that Australia can rebuild itself within the next few years. 

Although, other experts have been calling this entire scene a planned portrayal to win the public sympathy. Many raised various questions, in which, “Why the Australian government let go of their tourists if the tourists meant so much to the country” is the main question. However, it is clear to avoid unwanted chaos and provide safe places to all the immigrants, Australia had to take severe steps before things got out of hand.