Highlights
- Australia to keep its international borders shut for "some time" says PM Scott Morrison
- Temporary visa holders 'worst-hit' as Australia remains firm on keeping international borders shut
- "Temporary visa holders deserve clarity from government about timelines & pathways for their entry into Australia": Sen Nick McKim
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said Australia’s international borders are expected to remain closed for “some time” heightening the concerns of temporary visa holders stranded offshore as they continue to lose their jobs, savings and time, deflecting them from their visa pathways.
"On international borders, we're still some time away from that," Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra last week, once again nipping hopes of visa holders desperately waiting for their turn to travel back and resume their lives and livelihoods.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison Source: AAP
"We already have travel from New Zealand. We already are looking at the ways that we can assess potentially safe countries for green lane travel. We have not activated any of those. But what we've been doing the work on is making sure that we know and have a very good process for determining what countries could be green lane countries," said the prime minister.
Only 11% of returning travellers were visa holders with discretionary travel exemptions:
Ever since the Australian government closed its borders to non-Australian citizens and non-permanent residents in March, only 11% of all returning travellers comprised of visa holders who entered the country after getting discretionary exemptions from the Australian Border Force Commissioner – the only pathway currently available to visa holders to return to the country. 
“Of that 11 per cent, 60 per cent of those who come in are with critical skills, 25% of those come in with compassionate and compelling circumstances such as attending a funeral and then the other 15% of that 11% are national interest or critical medical skills or urgent medical treatment,” Kylie Rendina of ABF told the Senate committee during the last public hearing.
Stranded Australians relieved to be finally getting a flight home Source: SBS
Rest of the returning travellers were either Australians or those 'exempt by policy'.
'We can't wait for forever'
For Arpit Gupta, a temporary graduate visa holder who remains stuck in India since March, the future appears to be dark as he neither falls into the critical skills category for inward travel exemptions nor does he have any compassionate reason to re-enter the country.
The 24-year-old sales representative who travelled to Indore in central India for a brief visit ahead of joining a new job said the government needs to expand its criteria for letting in non-citizens and put their visas on hold until they can safely return to their lives and livelihoods in Australia.
Temporary visa holder Arpit Gupta remains stranded in Indore in India. Source: Supplied by Arpit Gupta
“Australian government must provide us with some clarity. It’s high time for them to end their non-committal attitude towards visa holders who contribute to the economy just like Australians while also filling critical skill gaps in the job sector both in cities and regional areas,” he said.
“They must at least provide us with a timeline for reopening borders so we can plan our lives accordingly.”
Australia’s Framework for National Reopening:
In response to SBS Punjabi’s request for a timeline for reopening international borders, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said: “The current travel restrictions have been implemented on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and have been integral to the Australian Government’s efforts to slow the transmission of COVID-19.”
The Department redirected us towards which provides guidance to reopening Australia, including reopening to international students, while managing the health impacts of COVID-19.
According to the new framework, Australia will strive to establish ‘quarantine free international travel with New Zealand and other low-risk countries and expand international student and seasonal worker pilot programs’ by Christmas.
'Temporary visa holders deserve clarity from the Australian government'
While almost all jurisdictions have expressed their interest to bring international students back, so far only .
Greens senator and immigration spokesperson Nick McKim who has been voicing his concerns for families stranded outside Australia said temporary visa holders deserve clarity from the Australian government about timelines and pathways for their entry into Australia.
"Throughout 2020, the process for allowing critically skilled workers to enter the country has been ad hoc and arbitrary."
"It's time for clear answers for skilled visa holders about how long they are likely to have to wait before being allowed to travel here. People's entire lives are on hold and they deserve far more information than they have been given so far,” Senator McKim told SBS Punjabi.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
