At his latest press conference to update the public on the coronavirus situation in Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison responded to the plight of many international students not covered by the Federal Government's measures to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.
“All students who come to Australia in their first year have to give a warranty that they are able to support themselves for the first 12 months of their study," he said.
"That is a requirement for their visa when they come for the first year. That is not an unreasonable expectation of the government that students would be able to fulfil the commitment that they gave.
"Now, these visas, and those who are in Australia, under various visa arrangements, they are obviously not held here compulsorily, if they are not in a position to support themselves, then there is the alternative for them to return to their home countries.”
Highlights:
- International students are under pressure due to coronavirus outbreak.
- Many have lost their jobs and have no source of income.
The Prime Minister’s statement has left many international students disappointed.
A student of media studies in Sydney, Vrishali Jain refutes PMs claims: “What is given in writing is that they have enough funds to not default on fees.”
“This has been an ongoing debate since the crisis began. Most students work to pay their day-to-day expenses like rent and other necessities. What is given in writing is that they have enough funds to not default on fees?
“Plus, the crisis has seen an increase in the expenditures and a loss of income for internationals.
Without any relaxations on work hours or support, it is a difficult situation. Especially for those who have no local families or friends to fall on.”
Screenshot from the Department of Immigration website on international student warranty Source: Dept of Immigration
Another international student Anushka Singh says students pay for the university facilities they are not able to use now.
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“All of us pay fees for face to face classes which are nearly $9,000 per trimester but now that the classes are online and there is no face to face interaction with the faculty and we cannot use the campus facilities then why should we pay such a huge amount? Technically, fees for online classes is way less than in-class sessions,” she said.
International students have warned of their financial vulnerability without access to welfare support as their livelihoods have been affected due to COVID-19 outbreak.
There are hundreds of thousands of international students studying in Australia who contribute some through university fees and tax payments.
International students demand tuition fee waivers. Source: Supplied
However, many of them are now struggling to pay their bills as social distancing measures shut down industries.
According to an estimate, there are over 85,000 international Students from Indian subcontinent only.
Chief Executive of Sydney Community Forum and a Member of the Sydney Alliance Working group on COVID-19 and International Students, Asha Ramzan, says the Prime Minister has no idea what he is talking about.
“If international students are the second-largest source of revenue for Australia, then Australia has a vested interest in ensuring that they are not forgotten indeed,” said Ms Ramzan.
She says what students gave in writing about the funds available to support themselves was based on the assumptions that they could work to support themselves.
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“The aggressive marketing in their countries of origin by Australia companies, by the private colleges, by the universities said you would, of course, meet their obligations. They have plenty of work for international students.”
Many international students work in industries that have been the worst hit in the coronavirus outbreak.
A masters student in Sydney, Reyner Liem Sagita, says stable jobs are generally not available to international students.
"They work multiple casual jobs to meet their expenses," he said.
"In the current situation, it has become all the more difficult. It is frustrating when it is simply assumed that international students are just rich students here on educational visas.”
Vrishali Jain adds that the mental health of the students is also under threat, and it is the state’s responsibility to take care of them.
“The state accepts the guardianship of an international student when a student visa is granted. In a country that values mental health above everything else, nobody seems to be thinking about the pressure on such a huge student community of Australia,” says Ms Jain.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the acting Immigration Minister would have more to say about other visa holders and the arrangements the government is coming to for those in coming days.
