New South Wales wants tourists and international students back ‘as quickly as possible’

Looking for the latest New South Wales news? New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet announced last week that fully vaccinated travellers can come into the state from November 1, but Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison later clarified that they are not opening up their borders to everyone just yet, with only citizens and their family members will be allowed in at first. New South Wales, however, is looking to get its economy back on track. So, what’s new in the realm of international students in Australia? Let’s find out:

Morrison pulled the breaks on New South Wales welcoming international travellers from November 1, saying that priority will be given to Australians and their family members first. Source: William West/AFP

New South Wales news for international students in Australia 

In an interview with Sky News Australia, Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said Australia needs international students back “at the speed of light”, adding that they not only support the university sector, but are also an important skill base within the hospitality and tourism industries.

Separately, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that New South Wales ministers would press their federal counterparts to allow the state to open up to international students and tourists as a matter of urgency after the state hit its much-anticipated 80% double dose vaccination target on Saturday.

Meanwhile, New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean was quoted saying that he wanted international students and tourists back in the state “as quickly as possible”, after the federal government intervened to stop that happening. “The priority obviously needs to be working with the Commonwealth to get the settings right, which is exactly what we will do,” said Kean.

Only a small group of international students will be able to return to New South Wales in December. Source: Saeed Khan/AFP

New South Wales news: Pilot plan 

For now, the New South Wales pilot plan would allow some 500 international students to return to the state in December, but the state hopes to do more. Quoting a senior government source, The Sydney Morning Herald said Morrison and Perrottet had “robust discussions” on Friday, according to a senior government source.

Kean said the scrapping quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers was about ensuring Australians stranded overseas could all come home, as well as opening borders to international students and tourists to “get our economy pumping”. He gave no indication of when fully vaccinated international students and tourists would be permitted to enter New South Wales, as it will be determined by the Commonwealth given it controls the issuing of visas.

Separately, the Financial Review reported that the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) will be launching a campaign within weeks to persuade the public of the benefits to the broader community of international education, including jobs, diversity and the flow of skilled labour.

They add that universities are pushing Education Minister Alan Tudge and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to reform the student visa system to more directly link education with skilled jobs and permanent residency, similar to the policies introduced under the Howard government.

According to Honeywood, IEAA had provided a policy paper to Tudge and Hawke that proposed that any international student who undertakes an additional professional year in skills shortage areas should be given double the migration points to permanent residency. In a separate pitch to the government, the Australian Technology Network proposed linking student visas to jobs.