Australia’s sunshine state aims to admit international students

A fifth Australian jurisdiction plans to jet in foreign students in time for the new academic year, with Queensland’s proposal based around a quarantine facility under construction almost 150 kilometres west of Brisbane.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said students would be the first to use Wellcamp, a 1,000-bed quarantine complex at a regional airport capable of receiving international flights.

She said priority would be given to medical students planning to work for the Queensland health department, with places also reserved for foreigners enrolled at regional universities.

South Australia, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria have announced similar “pilot” schemes using dedicated quarantine facilities to phase in the return of overseas students. Meanwhile, the Australian Capital Territory has vowed to admit fully vaccinated students from early next year, without requiring them to quarantine.

All these proposals require approval from the federal government, which has so far signed off only on the South Australian and NSW schemes. Canberra has not yet agreed to allow any jurisdiction to waive quarantine requirements for foreign students, even though returning Australian citizens and residents will be admitted quarantine-free to NSW and Victoria from 1 November.

This raises the possibility that by the time the Victorian and Queensland pilot plans receive federal approval, vaccinated international students may no longer need to quarantine either. But Ms Palaszczuk said Wellbank would play a crucial role in Queensland’s plans to open up. “It gives Queensland an opportunity other states don’t have,” she said.

State tourism and innovation minister Stirling Hinchliffe said authorities were mindful of Covid-19’s “unpredictable ability” to mutate. “So far there are four dominant variants,” he said. “We don’t know if and when there could [be] a fifth, which is what makes Wellcamp and its proximity to an international airport critical to our international student arrivals plan.” 

He said the aim was to scale up from semester one next year, with more students allowed in “over time”. The ABC reported that in the initial phase, 250 students would be admitted each fortnight.

Queensland’s international education sector earned an estimated A$5.8 billion (£3.2 billion) before the pandemic, the government said. By early October the state had almost 70,000 student visa holders, of whom more than 20,000 – almost all university students – were stranded offshore.

James Cook University vice-chancellor Sandra Harding said universities were “delighted” with the plan. “These students have been studying online for almost two years waiting to return to Queensland,” she said.

“Many of them need to undertake important practical assessments to complete their studies. International students are such a vibrant part of all of our campuses and communities, and we look forward to welcoming them back to our state.”

The University of Queensland said it had about 600 medical and allied health students stranded overseas. Vice-chancellor Deborah Terry said the plan prioritised those who needed to complete “practicals” and placements.

“We have been mindful in our discussion with government and health authorities about ensuring the return of our students happens in a way that keeps our communities safe and does not interfere with the return of Australian citizens and residents,” she said.

Universities Australia said Queensland university leaders had been “working behind the scenes” on the plan. “It’s important to recognise the resilience and perseverance of these students who want nothing more than to return to their friends and colleagues and studies in Australia,” said chief executive Catriona Jackson.

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com