“I will never come to Australia again”

Laurie Berg and Bassina Farbenblum write: ‘In the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown in March, many temporary visa holders working in heavily casualised industries, such as hospitality and retail, lost their jobs and struggled to meet basic living expenses. These included international students, backpackers, graduates, sponsored workers and refugees, among others. Despite the devastating financial impact on these temporary migrants, the government excluded them from JobKeeper and JobSeeker. Instead, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said if they could not support themselves, it was time to go home. …  Today, UnionsNSW is releasing the findings of a large-scale survey showing just how badly temporary migrants have suffered due to the lockdown and lack of financial support from the government. The survey of over 5,000 visa holders, conducted in late March and early April, paints a devastating picture: … 34% were already homeless, or anticipated imminent eviction because they could not pay rent.’ Read there article entitled: ‘“I will never come to Australia again”: new research reveals the suffering of temporary migrants during the COVID-19 crisis’. The Conversation