Australia and COVID-19 and what it means for international students

As we are all aware, COVID-19 is an infectious disease, caused by a newly discovered coronavirus, first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan City in China. This disease, which has been declared a global pandemic by the WHO, has infected over 2 million people globally and have resulted in over 150,000 deaths. There are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19, furthermore, due to the highly infectious nature of this virus, many governments have introduced stringent “social distancing” measures, and lock downs, impacting the lives of many around the world.

More about COVID-19, the related symptoms and how you can protect yourself in Australia can all be found here.

In Australia, unprecedented steps have been enforced across the nation to curb the outbreak of this virus, with the goal to “flatten the curve” . The federal government has activated the Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  

 

Current measures within Australia which might impact you are:

• Stringent Social distancing rules in place, with no unnecessary movements or non-essential gathering of more than one persons outside your household.
• All Australian nationals are banned from overseas travel, with a few exemptions.  
• Only Australian citizens, permanent residents, and their immediate family members can enter Australia.  (Student visa holders will be entitled to vary their visa dates if they have yet to enter Australia)
• All travellers need to self-quarantine for 14 days from the day they enter Australia.
• Interstate travel has been banned for non-essential purposes, and all states require a 14 self-quarantine when crossing state borders.
• International students working in supermarkets are allowed to work extra hours (above the maximum weekly limit) to help stock shelves (until 1st of May 2020)
• Work restrictions have also been lifted on international student working as nurses or in the age care sector in Australia
• Temporary visa holders will be able to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in this financial year to assist in supporting themselves through the coronavirus crisis.
• The Government will also be flexible in cases where Coronavirus has prevented international students from meeting their visa conditions (such as not being able to attend classes).

We understand that many international students have been impacted by these restrictions and may be feeling uneasy and afraid. Measures such as travel restrictions means if you plan to leave the country or have yet to enter Australia, you will not be able to return until these restrictions are lifted. It also means family and friends will not be able to visit you until these measures are relaxed. 

Furthermore, some universities or other educational institutions are currently increasing social distancing measures, with classes mainly being held online, cancelled, or postponed. Many education institutions are also considering reducing the number of courses offered in the semester, due to low enrolments.

 

During these challenging times, it is important to know how to seek advice, and get help. Some useful resources are provided below:

Medical assistance - Should you have any concern about your health while you are in Australia, please do not hesitate to contact your OSHC provider. You may also want to use the following COVID-19 Symptom checker to determine if you should seek medical assistance.

Education Assistance – Many education providers have put in place support measures for international students. These range from financial support to mental wellbeing services.  Please reach out to your education provider to seek assistance or click here.

Travel and Visa support – Due to the uncertainty surrounding travel restrictions and visa applications, we recommend reviewing the current policies on the Department of Home Affairs to ensure you are kept updated on your current visa status, and your rights to remain in Australia. The government has assured students that it has taken the flexible approach in cases where COVID-19 has prevented international students from meeting their visa conditions (such as not being able to attend classes)

Financial Support – some education providers are offering assistance to students eligible for financial support. Furthermore, the Red Cross of Australia has recently been granted funding from the Australian government for the next 6 months to deliver emergency relief and casework support for people on temporary visas. Details of can be found here.

Other support – There are many other avenues for you to seek support during these uncertain times. We encourage you to approach these organisations for assistance where available and required.

• For any Emergency situations, telephone number: 000
• COVID-19 24×7 National emergency helpline: 1800 020 080
• Home Affairs Global Service Centre: (+61) 131 881 available between 9 am and 5 pm on all business days
• Study in Australia helpline:  Phone: (+61) 1300 981 621 from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday AEDT, except public holidays. Email: international.students@dese.gov.au 

COVID -19 Helplines for each state and territory:

• New South wales – 1800 022 222 
• Victoria – 1800 675 398
• Tasmania – 1800 671 738  
• ACT – 1800 022 222 
• Queensland – 13 43 25 84
• South Australia – 1800 020 080 
• Western Australia – 1800 020 080
• Northern Territory – 1800 020 080

 Mental well-being helpline: 

• Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14
• Youth Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636
• headspace – 1800 650 890 

 

The team at StudentGuru understand the uncertainty and disruption to all students (international and domestic) as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 and we remain committed to assisting all current and future international students in Australia. To help guide students through these challenging times, we will be constantly sharing material that will assist students and help to keep them updated with the evolving situation in Australia. We know this is a stressful time for everyone, and if you require assistance in Australia, please also feel free reach out to us and we will try our best to assist.  

With the government’s strict social distancing and travel restrictions in place, Australia have seen some early positive signs showing that COVID-19 infection numbers have been flattened. These positive numbers should encourage us to stay optimistic, although it will take time for things to return to the “old normal”.

Keep safe, Keep smiling, and Keep happy. And don’t forget, kindness and happiness is just as infectious in these uncertain times!

The StudentGuru team.