Western Australia Launches Website to Streamline International Student Arrival

Passengers from China arrive at Perth International Airport, Australia on Feb. 2, 2020. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Western Australia (WA) has unveiled a new online platform that will make it significantly easier for international students to travel and study within the state.

Between 2020 and 2021, international students were banned from travelling to WA due to the pandemic caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

But according to a StudyPerth report (pdf), 2019 in WA saw 53,404 international enrolments—with the largest portion of university students coming from China—boosting WA’s GDP by $2.1 billion and making it one of the state’s most lucrative industries.

The travel portal will now allow prospective students to view relevant COVID rules and restrictions, and will even offer to help students book their flights.

Only fully vaccinated students are allowed entry, with those arriving after Mar. 3 avoiding the need to quarantine subject to a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result.

For those arriving before Mar. 3 and who will be required to isolate, the platform will also notify them of their eligibility to receive $2,000 for quarantine-related costs—part of an $8 million student quarantine support program.

WA International Education Minister David Templeman said international students were an important part of the community and that the state welcomed arrivals with open arms.

“By giving them clear and easily accessible information through this new portal, students can familiarise themselves with the government travel and health requirements and even book their flights,” Templeman said.

“We want to see thousands of international students return to our magnificent state and will continue to offer as much support as we can to make their experience as seamless as possible.”

WA Minister for International Education David Templeman. (Government of Western Australia)

As of Feb. 23, WA recorded 643 new local cases of community transmission—the largest spike in daily cases the state has experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. In total, five patients have been hospitalised, with zero in intensive care.

With a total of 4,452 cases, the state government has implemented mask mandates for all students in classrooms.

And although the WA government has not mandated vaccination for university students, two of the state’s biggest universities—Curtin and the University of Western Australia—have decided to implement the requirement.

WA is also due to open its interstate borders from Mar. 3 after being closed from other parts of the country for months, with the state government admitting that rapidly growing Omicron cases were becoming harder to control.

New compulsory measures include mask mandates indoors and a 2-square-metre distancing rule for some venues, including places of worship and hospitality venues.

Existing proof of vaccination requirements will remain, including for most of the state’s workforce, visitors to hospitals and aged care facilities, and health, entertainment, fitness; and hospitality venues.