International students are leaving the cleaning industry 'in droves' for longer work hours

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After cleaners were left out of recent student visa changes, there are fears a worker exodus could leave Australia more vulnerable to COVID-19.

As an international student from Nepal, the job has allowed him to fit work around his study.

But as borders closed and businesses lost workers, the rules were relaxed for some sectors and students were allowed to work further hours in agriculture, food processing, healthcare, and aged and disability care, and child care. - but the cleaning industry was still left out. The industry is one of Australia's largest employers of international students, who were among the worst impacted financially at the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year, making up at least 30 per cent of the sector's workforce.

Anthony Byrne, a community organiser from the United Workers Union, said the cleaning workforce's importance has been overlooked. Mr Byrne and Ms Macqueen are calling on the government to extend the number of hours that international students can work in jobs in the cleaning industry. "Australia’s student visa program enables international students to come to Australia with the primary intention to undertake full-time study. Under the conditions of their visa, most international students can work up to 40 hours per fortnight while their course is in session, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks," they said.

 

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'This is Papa Bear to Eagle's Nest. Ad revenue is down. I repeat: Ad revenue is down. We need new ways to keep people scared of Covid. STAT! Over.'

You mean international labour?

International students should not be working at all taking jobs from Australians. No more international students.

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