COVID-19 spike scraps 35,000 international student arrivals

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Plans to fly 35,000 international students into Australian cities from late July have reportedly been abandoned due to the spike in COVID-19 cases in Victoria:

The latest COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria has halted nascent plans to bring back nearly 35,000 international students from the end of the month.

The Australian can reveal universities in NSW had developed a plan with Berejiklian government officials to fly into Sydney 250 international students every day for 100 days, beginning later this month…

A proposal developed by Victorian universities and the Andrews government to bring 7000 international students to that state has fallen victim to the virus, and smaller programs to deliver 700 students to the ACT and 800 to South Australia are on hold.

This was always a ridiculous plan given:

  1. It dramatically increased the risk of spreading COVID-19 throughout Australia; and
  2. It was unfair given Australians are unable to travel freely around the nation or overseas.

Opening up Australia to international students was always an asymmetric bet that offered massive downside risks for little upside.

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Australia must remain closed to everyone but returning citizens and permanent residents until the pandemic passes. No exceptions.

About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.