Kiwis put us to shame with student support packages

New Zealand offer international students assistance — including income support and visa extensions — not available in Australia.

New Zealand is offering a friendlier welcome to international students than Australia.

New Zealand is offering its international students assistance during the COVID-19 crisis — including income support and an automatic free extension of their student visas — which has not been forthcoming in Australia.

New Zealand has extended its COVID-19 wage subsidy, similar to Australia’s JobKeeper scheme, to cover international students who work for employers that are eligible for the subsidy.

It also has told foreigners in New Zealand that — whether they hold a student, work, visitor, limited or interim visa — if their visa expires between April 1 and July 9 they will get an automatic extension until September 25 this year.

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In Australia, student visas cannot be extended. International students who are trapped in Australia and can’t return home because of coronavirus travel restrictions have to apply for a new student visa at a cost of $600 or apply for a visitor visa.

International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said New Zealand, a competitor country in international education, was “showing us up”.

“Australia’s actions underline our reputation for being focused on making dollars,” he said, calling for more humanitarian empathy for international students

“While individual education providers are doing the right thing for international students with emergency funds and food banks, the lack of any national initiative reflects poorly on the image we try to portray of a safe and welcoming study destination.”