Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given confirmation that the federal government will consider allowing international students to bypass the COVID-19 travel ban as early as July.
Morrison unveiled a three-stage, structured plan to ease restrictions on Friday which included the possibility for overseas students to return to Australian universities. International students contribute over 40 billion dollars to the Australian economy a year.
Due to the disruptions to international travel caused by COVID-19, at least 10% of international students in Australian universities have been unable to travel to Australia to undertake their studies. Despite the encouraging signs from the Federal government, the uncertainty felt by many in the wake of the pandemic mean that it may be far longer before the Australian tertiary system recovers.