Highlights
- Maximum overseas arrivals came from India in June 2020
- 1850 people, accounting for 12% of those returning were from India
- International borders to remain closed
Raj Ram Kumar* on June 6 after being stuck in India for over 10 weeks due to border closure and termination of international flight services.
“I was desperate to return. I had to return to work or I would lose my job. It was really hard to get back,” Mr Kumar told SBS Hindi.
“The tickets were limited and thousands are trying to book these tickets. I was trying to book from three laptops at the same time and I still could not. I would reach the payment step and it would be sold out.
“I finally got an opportunity to buy a ticket only after someone cancelled at the last minute. I took up the offer and finally took the flight to Melbourne from Chennai,” he told SBS Hindi.
Mr Kumar is one of the few thousands who managed to return to Australia in June 2020.
According to the latest data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), from close to 16000 people who returned to Australia in June, the largest share flew in from India.
1850 people, accounting for 12% of all those who returned, were from India, the ABS revealed.
Under current border restrictions, only Australian citizens, residents, their immediate family members and temporary visa holders who have been granted travel exemption can travel to Australia.
Australia recorded 6.7 million overseas visitor arrivals for the 2019-20 financial year, the ABS revealed.
The arrivals were down by 27.9 per cent compared to the previous year and the lowest since 2013-14.
ABS director of migration statistics, Jenny Dobak said arrivals increased every month until February when the coronavirus began taking hold.
"Once the tighter restrictions came into effect on March 20 the drop in visitors arriving was dramatic, being close to 100 per cent," she said.
Less than 60 international students arrived in Australia in June, compared to the 45,980 in the same month the previous year.
Source: AAP
'Borders to remain close'
The numbers are likely to go down further in coming months after Prime Minister Scott Morrison slashed the number of international arrivals in July.
Following the second wave of coronavirus infections in Victoria and concerns raised by other states and territories in managing the hotel quarantine program, PM Morrison slashed the number of international arrivals and the free quarantine program in July, reducing the number significantly from 6500 to 4000 arrivals every week.
Australia is also unlikely to lift border restrictions anytime soon, the PM has warned.
“I would welcome if by Christmas it were possible, but I think it’s unlikely that we [will be] able to move back to a restriction-free society [by then],” PM said last week.
“I doubt that is going to happen, and I doubt the medical situation will enable it,” he said.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
