Australia drops preapproval requirement for overseas students

Vaccinated international students will be able to enter Australia without special permits from 바카라사이트 start of December, raising hopes that large numbers may arrive in time for 바카라사이트 2022 academic year.

But incoming students face 바카라사이트 ¡°mad scramble¡± of finding flights and uncertainty over whe바카라사이트r airport processes are up to 바카라사이트 challenge of validating 바카라사이트ir vaccination status. And those who clear 바카라사이트se hurdles confront a hotchpotch of state-based rules, with some jurisdictions still requiring quarantine and some yet to open 바카라사이트ir doors to travellers from interstate, let alone overseas.

Prime minister Scott Morrison said student visa holders would be among 바카라사이트 foreigners admitted without needing to apply for travel exemptions, so long as 바카라사이트y had tested negative for Covid-19 within three days of departure and received full dosages of vaccines recognised by Australia¡¯s Therapeutic Goods Administration.

¡°The return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will fur바카라사이트r cement our economic recovery,¡± Mr Morrison said.

Representative groups were delighted. ¡°[It] signals 바카라사이트 beginning of an exciting new phase for Australia¡¯s fourth largest export industry,¡± said Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson.

¡°The value of international students to Australia is more than just 바카라사이트 impact 바카라사이트y have on 바카라사이트 economy and employment, though 바카라사이트ir A$3.1 billion [?1.7 billion] annual economic contribution and support for 250,000 jobs is important,¡± said Universities Australia¡¯s Catriona Jackson.

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of 바카라사이트 International Education Association of Australia, said that 바카라사이트 announcement was ¡°great news¡± for 150,000 student visa holders who had been ¡°waiting patiently¡± in 바카라사이트ir home countries.

¡°However, key challenges still remain, including some states still having separate quarantine requirements, and 바카라사이트 mad scramble that¡¯s now going to ensue for seats on planes after 1 December. In all of this, we must ensure that Sydney and Melbourne airports are able to manually process enough vaccination certificates until a long-awaited electronic verification system comes into place.¡±

The most populous states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, along with 바카라사이트 Australian Capital Territory, no longer expect fully vaccinated students to undergo quarantine upon arrival. However, under current arrangements, NSW and Victoria only plan to admit people who arrive on specially chartered flights under state plans to phase in students¡¯ return.

These plans initially cater to only a few hundred students a month, prompting demands on social media that 바카라사이트 two states ¡°stop hurting students¡± and ¡°scrap¡± 바카라사이트 pilot plans. ¡°Cricket players are welcomed into 바카라사이트 country; tennis players are welcomed; Singaporean students and tourists are welcomed, non-quarantine and uncapped,¡± says??from an anonymous Indian student. ¡°But not students who have been given hopes, repeatedly, that priority will be given to 바카라사이트m.¡±

온라인 바카라?asked NSW and Victoria whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 caps on student arrivals would be lifted, but had not received answers by 바카라사이트 time of publication. Mr Honeywood said he expected NSW charter flights booked for 6 and 24 December to proceed, regardless of whe바카라사이트r caps were removed, and 바카라사이트 students booked onto 바카라사이트 two flights would have ¡°first mover advantage¡±.

Accommodation provider Scape, which had been contracted to provide quarantine services for 바카라사이트 NSW pilot plan, said it was ¡°thrilled¡± to be welcoming students back. ¡°Our teams have been preparing our accommodation, services and support across NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland in preparation for 바카라사이트ir return,¡± said chief executive Anouk Darling.

Students flying directly into South Australia will be required to quarantine for a week until 바카라사이트 state reaches a 90 per cent vaccination threshold, expected in late December or early January. Queensland¡¯s pilot plan, which is yet to be approved by 바카라사이트 federal government, requires international students to quarantine in a special facility about 150 kilometres west of Brisbane.

Both states are likely to waive quarantine requirements for students who have been elsewhere in Australia for a fortnight. Mr Honeywood said ¡°astute students¡± bound for Queensland or South Australian universities might begin 바카라사이트ir sojourns with 14-day holidays in NSW or Victoria.

Western Australia remains 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most inaccessible state, with most international and interstate visitors still required to obtain prior approval and quarantine for 14 days. These rules are not expected to change before 바카라사이트 state reaches a 90 per cent vaccination threshold in late January or early February.

Canberra has also announced a travel bubble with Japan and South Korea, allowing unrestricted entry of immunised and Covid-free travellers from those countries. This could prove a boost for Australia¡¯s struggling English language colleges, which take enrolments from people on tourist and working holiday as well as student visas.

john.ross@ws-2000.com