Coronavirus: Crucial win for foreign students who have lost their income

The NSW government has finally approved a long-awaited COVID-19 hardship package for international students.

NSW Treasury secretary ­Michael Pratt. Picture: Richard Dobson

The NSW government has finally approved a long-awaited hardship package for international students who have been left ­jobless and cashless by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, becoming one of the last states in Australia to do so following weeks of uncertainty.

NSW Treasury secretary ­Michael Pratt told a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Friday that two funding packages had been sent to the Berejiklian government’s Expenditure Review Committee on Thursday. Both had been ­approved, he confirmed.

The packages are understood to specifically address the hardship of international students, who Mr Pratt described as the state’s “No 1 service export” and “critical to the NSW economy”, estimated to be worth about $12bn a year.

The NSW government on Friday night announced a $20m funding package to provide crisis accommodation to international students, but the package does not provide cash grants that have been made available in other states.

Inter­national education is the nation’s third-largest export — worth $32.4bn, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Due to their visa status, international students do not qualify for the federal government’s JobKeeper and JobSeeker subsidies, and many have been filmed queuing for food in parts of Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere.

Mr Pratt said the package had been put together in consultation with university vice-chancellors, hence why it had taken some time to assemble, and it would likely be announced next week.

“A lot of work has been done on it,” Mr Pratt said. “We’ve got a lot of feedback from (the vice-chancellors). Two packages went to the ERC and were approved.”

There are some 400,000 international students residing in Australia, about 36 per cent of whom are enrolled at campuses in NSW.

The Victorian government last month pledged $45m to provide up to $1100 in payments to inter­national students who have lost their jobs or have had their working hours reduced.

South Australia is providing $13.8m for its overseas ­students. Tasmania has funded a package worth $3m for all temporary visa holders. Queensland is providing $2m. And the ACT, which has fewer students, about $450,000.

Asked whether footage of students lining up for food might have an impact on the state’s credibility abroad, Mr Pratt said it was difficult to make a judgment, but it was certainly possible.

“It’s not a good sign to see ­students lined up. No doubt some of that is going back home to wherever that might be,” he said.