Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Australia's International Student Return Plan Likely To Exclude Chinese

Australia's International Student Return Plan Likely To Exclude Chinese

Though Chinese nationals make up most of Australia's international students, they are unlikely to return due to ineligibility of China's Covid vaccines.
A pilot program to allow some international students to return to Australia's most populous state is likely to exclude Chinese nationals due to rules surrounding vaccination status.

The phased plan was approved by the federal government and the first flight carrying some 500 fully-vaccinated international students will arrive in New South Wales by the end of the year, the state government said Friday. Chinese nationals are Australia's biggest source of international students but they are likely to be ineligible to participate, because China's vaccines are not recognized by Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration.

"They will need to be double vaccinated with a vaccine that our federal authorities deemed to be adequate and effective and that is just the way it is," Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. Those wanting to participate in the future need to "find access to a vaccine that is regarded as effective by our authorities. We don't want additional risk put into our system," she said.

International education was worth A$14.6 billion ($10.7 billion) to New South Wales in 2019, the state government said. Macquarie University, The University of Newcastle, The University of Sydney, University of New South Wales (UNSW) and University of Technology Sydney (UTS) are among the universities that will participate in the pilot plan.

More than 57,000 students are estimated to be overseas, according to the state government. Chinese nationals are Australia's biggest source of international students followed by those in India, Nepal and Vietnam, according to the Australian Trade Department.

Vaccines made by Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and state-owned Sinopharm are among the most used in China, and have efficacy rates ranging from around 50% to 80% in preventing symptomatic Covid. A vaccine developed by Sichuan Clover Biopharmaceuticals was found to prevent 79% of Covid-19 cases caused by the delta strain in late-stage trials.

Sinovac and Sinopharm have provided little conclusive data on the effectiveness of their shots against the delta variant, which is more infectious than the virus' original strain and appears to have dimmed the protection of existing vaccines.

New South Wales state capital Sydney has been at the epicenter of a delta outbreak that's forced Australia's largest city into lockdown for the past 90 days and spread to Melbourne and other east coast areas. On Friday, New South Wales reported 1,043 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, with 11 deaths. Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, reported 733 new cases and 1 death.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×