Australia was a world leader in international education export. The term ‘punching above our weight’ described the industry that had taken market share from the UK and USA. Australia moved beyond the 'mine behind the beach' export capabilities and delivered service exports to match the resources sector. International education became the third largest export for Australia, employing multiples of anything in resources, the soft diplomacy of education of young people from all over the world, and maintaining a steady rise until COVID-19 stopped the world in its tracks.
When the pandemic closures hit, the Federal Government seemed to dismiss the international education sector and our international students who were here. The now infamous words of the Prime Minister at the press conference to international students who were struggling was ‘to make your way home’ – when borders were closed, flights cancelled, and means of support pulled from students who needed work to survive. That comment and further PM and government comments and inaction have just made Australia’s international education image worse.
The ‘do-nothing’ policy vacuum for international students and temporary visa holders is a subject of national shame. It remains that these visa holders are part of our community, and although classed as 'Residents for Tax Purposes', are given no protection and, based on their temporary visa status, were dismissed—the welfare responsibility left to the states to react. The piecemeal responses then threw many international students into community groups and individuals that gave charity. The sight of students lining up for food hampers was shocking. The Australian Red Cross provided one-off emergency payments (around $200) for people on temporary visas from June 2020; more than 60% of these payments were for international students.
The government is no friend of the universities, and policy to block them from JobKeeper has cost thousands of jobs and massive redundancy costs. The loss of income from international students (a policy that allowed cuts in funding to the universities and was encouraged by federal governments from both sides) is now growing with further delays in allowing international students to return. The decimation of international education capacity will accelerate with English language colleges and private vocational providers likely as the next wave of closures. Other industries such as accommodation, homestay run by householders, CBD businesses, medical insurance (that contributes to Australian facilities), and many other peripheral business are also losing business or closing. The lack of any visible plan from the federal government on either assisting the sector or working on plans to allow students to return shows the short-sghted 'do nothing' policy continues.
The Federal Government can easily duck responsibility and ‘do-nothing’ on international education with ‘it is the state’s responsibility’ and stand firmly behind the 'bring Australians home first' policy. A motherhood statement that has no rebuttal – of course, we all want Australia's home. A constant 39,000+ Australians seem to be wanting to return and in need of repatriation flights that other country’s governments seemed to achieve with more ease. Only 1700 Australians were returned via federal-chartered flights since December 23 last year, hardly an effective ‘Australian’s first policy’ but more of ‘do-nothing’.
The populist take of Australians First is the most significant brake on action for opening borders for students – 'do-nothing' suits the majority of Australians. They are happy behind Fortress Australia's walls and the second border ring of VIC, WA and QLD. The cushion of government largesse means most Australians do not realise that no migration and temporary visa holders will cause real budget pressure soon. International students cannot vote and the international education sector is fractured and has no united front, such as tourism. Education providers have no electoral push except in CBD electorates (often held by Labor). The very transactional Coalition LNP Government does not see any need to do anything to assist the industry beyond platitudes.
The Australian/NZ eradication policy of COVID-19 is unique to these remote island destinations. Our competitor countries of UK, Canada and the USA have had a much rougher COVID-19 experience. Still, they have remained open to international students with entry protocols. International students now would rather an open destination than COVID-free destinations. Australia can do both – stay COVID-safe and bring in international students. Students are willing to quarantine and vaccinate, whatever it takes to get back to Australia. Australia must live up to the promise we gave these students in extending student visas and issuing new student visas since July last year.
There are tracking and tracing apps that risk rate the country of origin and map the student’s full itinerary – students are not tourists, and we know where they will be living for track and trace purposes. A staged return plan could look like this:
1. Students that held a visa and were stuck overseas when the borders closed. Immediate return subject to charter flight availability (the universities and private providers have planned flights and are ready)
2. Students that hold a visa and have started their studies online from July 2020 onwards return
3. Students are selected to return based on when their visa was granted as to eligibility to return
4. Schools, English language students and Vocational Education and Training (VET) students included in the mix.
We have successful models of bringing students to the country from the NT and Canada with COVID-safe practices. International students are resilient. In NSW alone, by October 2020, there were still 142.076 international students enrolled. A further 52,415 students are currently studying overseas and waiting for borders to reopen to continue their studies onshore. Providers have kept students engaged and progressed studies online and offshore, but their patience is running out.
International students are willing to quarantine while tourists generally will not. It is beyond frustrating seeing state and federal governments lobbing responsibility for returning international students back and forth. The international education sector must move from following the federal government ‘do-nothing’ policy to active planning to get students cut off from their studies back to Australia. The plans have been made, the vaccines are rolling out around the world – its time.