Canberra: prime minister announced on Tuesday that international visitors will not be allowed back to Australia until next year, with skilled migrants and students taking precedence.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced last week that, starting in November, vaccinated citizens and permanent residents will be able to fly overseas for the first time since an extremely strict travel ban was imposed in March of last year. However, Morrison stated on Tuesday that skilled migrants and foreign students would take precedence over tourists after Australians.
Due to pandemic limitations, Australian immigration is at its lowest level since WWII. The pandemic has also wreaked havoc on Australian universities, which rely significantly on international students’ tuition costs. Students may enroll in other countries if Australia’s border is not opened to them soon, according to the education sector.
The next priority is skilled migrants who are very valuable to the country and are twice vaccinated, and students who come to Australia for study and return.
Overseas travelers are expected to return by March, according to the Australian Tourism Export Council, which represents a sector that produced 45 billion Australian dollars ($33 billion) in revenue from international tourists prior to the pandemic.
With the outbreak of the more dangerous delta variant, which began in Sydney in June, continues to spread, Australia is hurrying to inoculate its population.
