Are you a temporary visa holder about to be affected by this latest news from the government? We’d love to hear your story if so and how this is going to affect you and your work/studies here in Australia.
The Australian government today announced a slew of measures for major classes of temporary visa holders, including visitors, international students and skilled visa holders. The highlights are:
- Australian government asks temporary visa holders unable to support themselves to go home
- The government allows temporary visa holders with work rights to access superannuation
- Visitors with visas lasting three months or less have also been asked to go home
Responding to the growing call for providing support for overseas students, Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge today asked them to fall back on their superannuation contribution if they have been in the country for over 12 months.
“The Government will undertake further engagement with the international education sector who already provide some financial support for international students facing hardship,” Mr Tudge said in a statement to the media.
To all others, the government said they must fend for themselves and encouraged them to rely on family support, part-time work where available and their own savings.
Reiterating its stand, authorities also reminded the students of the declaration they make at the beginning of their study of having sufficient resources to be able to support them. The authorities are now asking them to utilise those resources.
Anant Singh Bhatia, a civil engineering student at the University of South Australia says while he understands the government’s stance towards its citizens and residents, students, who have been here for more than a year, however, are getting a “raw deal.”
“We have been left to fend for ourselves with no support. Accessing super may help me sustain for a while, but what about the students who are not entitled to a super?
“You are asking them to go home. So this clearly means you are here for us when we are generating revenue, but clearly not in times of adversity,” says the 22-year-old student.
Source of main article – SBS Punjabi
For the full article you can view it here – https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/latest-covid-19-visa-changes-for-temporary-visa-holders-now-who-can-stay-and-who-can-t
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