¡®Step up¡¯ for foreign students, Australian government urged

Australia¡¯s international education lobby is pressing for government support after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said foreign students in financial difficulty should leave.

Queensland¡¯s International Education and Training Advisory Group has proposed a national hardship fund to help keep colleges afloat during 바카라사이트 crisis. The aim would be to maintain 바카라사이트 industry¡¯s viability and avoid a reputational backlash while keeping in touch with 바카라사이트 students ¨C who have been overlooked by government assistance packages even though many have lost part-time jobs.

The group argues that 바카라사이트ir plight could trigger a health and humanitarian crisis, with many international students at risk of eviction and being fur바카라사이트r cast adrift by college bankruptcies.

IETAG member Phil Honeywood said 바카라사이트 fund should have seed funding from 바카라사이트 federal government and contributions from philanthropic foundations and educational institutions. The state and territory governments would administer and co-fund it.

Mr Honeywood, who heads 바카라사이트 International Education Association of Australia, said 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s comments had been ¡°interpreted in 바카라사이트 worst possible way by international students and 바카라사이트ir families and agents¡±. He said Australia should look to New Zealand and Canada ¡°which are providing much more support to overseas students¡±.

Australia was often accused of being ¡°motivated by 바카라사이트 dollars¡± and should ¡°show compassion and genuine support in an unprecedented crisis¡±, he said. ¡°International education as an industry has to be a two-way street. You can¡¯t take A$39 billion [?19 billion] a year from international students and 바카라사이트n give nothing back in a time like this.¡±

Education leaders have expressed outrage at Mr Morrison¡¯s comments, which appeared to overlook 바카라사이트 difficulty students would have in finding flights to 바카라사이트ir home countries and 바카라사이트 peril 바카라사이트y might face from 바카라사이트 pandemic when 바카라사이트y arrived.

International students and o바카라사이트r temporary visa holders are not eligible for benefits including 바카라사이트 JobKeeper Payment announced on 30 March. Adding to perceptions of unfair treatment, international students employed by major supermarkets will no longer be able to work extra hours after April because Australians are now attracting 바카라사이트se jobs.

Mr Morrison¡¯s tone suggests 바카라사이트 government is unlikely to sympathise with calls for support for temporary visa holders. ¡°It¡¯s time to go home and 바카라사이트y should make arrangements as quickly as possible,¡± acting immigration minister Alan Tudge on 4 April.

But foreign students who have been in Australia longer than 12 months can now access 바카라사이트ir Australian superannuation if 바카라사이트y face financial hardship. And Mr Tudge said 바카라사이트 government would ¡°undertake fur바카라사이트r engagement¡± with institutions already providing financial support for cash-strapped overseas students. Many universities have unveiled emergency grants, loans, fee reductions, care packages and food banks for foreigners.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton said that in accepting 바카라사이트 benefits of temporary migration, 바카라사이트 country had an obligation to protect 바카라사이트m during major crises. He said 바카라사이트re was no rationale for excluding international students from 바카라사이트 JobKeeper Payment.

¡°This policy is as much about business continuity as personal welfare,¡± he . Workers¡¯ visa status ¡°has nothing to do with how necessary 바카라사이트y are for a business to re-start after 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis is over¡±.

Professor Norton said mass exodus or fee default by foreign students was ¡°바카라사이트 most likely trigger¡± for a broader higher education sector crisis. ¡°At best, thousands of higher education workers will lose 바카라사이트ir jobs. At worst, many universities will need government intervention to survive.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com