International students across the country are “trapped” in Australia, unable to go home and also unable to access income support from the government.
COVID-19 wrecking havoc on international education in Australia
The international education sector in Australia is concerned that our education export market has been harmed by the government during this crisis due to the Prime Minister’s comments telling international students to just “go home” inflicting enormous gratuitous damage on Australia’s reputation.
International students in Victoria given relief funds to help with the pandemic crisis
The Victorian state government has set up a $45 million International Student Emergency Relief Fund which includes a once-off relief payment of up to $1,100 that will ensure international students could “buy the basics and get through to the other side of the crisis.”
Austrade and FutureLearn.com partner to promote “Study with Australia” campaign
The initiative hopes to support international students who have been impacted by the global travel bans in providing access to high-quality online learning resources from leading Australian education providers to support their education and learning goals during the pandemic. The ‘Study with Australia’ campaign will be available until the end of June, allowing Australian higher education institutions and English language training providers to showcase their online offering across business, digital technologies, STEM, healthcare and teaching courses, to name a few.
Call for more support for foreign students in Australia
Queensland’s International Education and Training Advisory Group is arguing for a national hardship fund to help keep colleges afloat during the crisis. The group argues that the plight of foreign students could trigger a health and humanitarian crisis, with many of them at risk of eviction and being further cast adrift by the collapse of providers.
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Work opportunities for international students
There is a list of registered entities calling for international students to apply for work positions as part of adjusted work arrangements declared during COVID-19.
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ITECA calls on government to support independent tertiary education system during global crisis
The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA ) is asking for a moratorium on all routine reporting and auditing activity, plus suspension of charges levied on the independent tertiary education system so that ITECA members can focus on supporting their students and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Call for ASQA and TEQSA to delay implementation of full-cost recovery fees
The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA), the peak body representing the VET and Higher Education sectors, is calling on the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and the vocational education and training sector’s regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to delay the looming 1 July 2020 implementation date for these new full cost recovery fees and charges and set back their implementation by twelve months.
The impact of coronavirus on international education in Australia
Chinese visitors contribute to the Australian economy 27% of the total amount spent by all international visitors, largely due to the significant number of Chinese who come to the country to study. On average about 20% of Chinese visitors were here for educational purposes.
International student visa rort by studying bogus courses
Allegations previously made by the National Training Regulator, ASQA of organised crime using ghost colleges or fake vocational training programs to scam the Australia migration system have been ratified by Labor’s immigration spokesperson, Kristina Keneally in a recent speech where she criticized the governments handling of the surge in bridging visas and claims for asylum.
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