Coronavirus: Australia wants all visitors and temporary visa holders to leave
- There are 2.17 million foreigners in Australia on different temporary visas, including about 118,000 backpackers and 565,000 international students
- If they cannot ‘confidently’ sustain themselves for the next six months, they should leave, the country’s acting immigration minister said
The Australian government has said more than 2 million people on temporary visas, including students, skilled workers, and visitors, in the country, should “go home” as soon as possible, amid an economic downturn and joblessness caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But, he said, “temporary visa holders who are unable to support themselves under these arrangements over the next six months are strongly encouraged to return home.” “For these individuals, it's time to go home, and they should make arrangements as quickly as possible.” This does not include permanent residents.
Tudge said 203,000 tourists in Australia needed to “return to their home country as quickly as possible.”
There are about 118,000 backpackers and other visitors on working holiday visas – a type of visa which provides conditional work rights, Tudge said.