‘I Can’t Believe’: Students frustrated at Australian border U-turn | Coronavirus Plague News

Sydney, Australia – Thousands of miles from Australia, Disha Zutshi’s heart sank when she heard that the country was delaying her time. plans to reopen international students on December 1 due to the release of the Omicron coronavirus.

For an 18-year-old student from Gurgaon in India, the stress and anxiety experienced after the 20-month closure has made her nervous about choosing a study country.

Zutshi, who plans to fly to Australia at the end of December, has little confidence that the government will not add “temporary rest” to reopening until December 15 after Australia confirms their seventh case for Thursday’s new change.

“We do not know if they will be added in December,” Zutshi told Al Jazeera. “It’s very frustrating.”

Zutshi, who studies psychology at the University of Melbourne, said he had many friends who had left for Australia flights scheduled for this week.

“Tickets are very expensive, very expensive,” he said. “The government has no goals [to help the international students], and the airline has no means of paying the students. ”

Zutshi is one of about 130,000 foreign students who have been waiting to enter Australia since the country closed its borders in March 2020. After Australia’s decision to delay reopening the border, many students are experiencing anger, frustration and despair.

Karen Gan, who is studying online from her home in Nanning, China while waiting to enter Australia, told Al Jazeera that she has stopped trusting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison “because he is a big liar”.

“The Australian government made their decision abruptly,” said Gan, who is studying for a masters in journalism at the University of Melbourne. “According to the news in 2020, he said you could go to Australia soon, but for now, it is too late. I can no longer trust them. I am very disappointed with his decision.”

“Perhaps living in China is a good choice,” he added.

Australia was the third most famous place in the world before the plague. In 2019, the education sector in the country provided $ 37.6 billion ($ 26.7bn) to the economy, supporting nearly 240,000 jobs.

After nearly two years of closing the border, the group’s revenue has dropped by 28 percent from $ 34.6 billion ($ 24.5bn) to $ 26.7 billion ($ 18.9bn) in 2020-21, the lowest since 2015-2016. In August, The number of overseas registrants – most of them from China, India, Nepal and Vietnam – was the lowest since 2015, at over 550,000..

Many universities have announced fewer jobs and fewer tuition because of lower costs due to lower enrollment abroad.

In the meantime, countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have already received a return of international students.

Chris Ziguras, professor of international studies at RMIT University in Melbourne, told Al Jazeera that although the Australian government has been led by public health concerns, it has failed to explain a clear way to reopen it, leaving the sector “blind and rushing to achieve it.”

“I think the government is reluctant to do anything because they do not know what will happen,” Ziguras said. “Then the government wants to postpone its decision until the last minute and vote.”

‘Cash cow’

Students are also disappointed with the Australian government’s view of them.

Oscar Ong, president of the International Council of International Students Australia, told Al Jazeera that international students are considered “cash bulls” because of the money they bring to universities and the Australian economy.

“We hope the Australian government can treat international students as residents,” Ong said. “Students from all over the world are not just coming here to study, not just starting work – many want to come here again.”

Australian universities chief Catriona Jackson said the universities would continue to work with the Australian government to bring international students to school.

“It’s important to acknowledge the incredible courage of those who have been patiently waiting for two years to resume their schooling,” Jackson said.

In the meantime, international students like Toolsika Rawoah can do little but wait.

Rawoah, an online student from Mauritius, said he had stopped booking tickets to Australia and saw if more restrictions were in place.

“It greatly affects the hopes of all the students who were excited to resume their lives in Australia and in me, because there are so many uncertainties,” said Rawoah, who studies criminal justice and psychology at Victoria University in Melbourne.

Rawoah said having a long-term limbo problem had a profound effect on her education and health.

“There is no guarantee of a healthy working life without much uncertainty as to whether students will be able to return, or if they wait too long for seats on the plane to be available,” he said.