Highlights
- COVID-19 travel ban prevents families to be with their loved ones during times of death and grief
- Temporary visa holders claim they have been 'worst-hit' as they do not have a pathway to return
- Australian international borders remain shut to non-citizens and non-permanent residents
Even though some Indian-Australian citizens and permanent residents could travel to India to attend to their ailing parents or relatives, and in some cases for the last rites of their loved ones, temporary visa holders, were left in a tough spot.
Ruby, an international student from Patiala, who could not bid a final goodbye to her beloved father said she would regret not being with him during his last days who died of a brain hemorrhage earlier this year.
"It was one of the toughest choices to make in my life," said Ruby who only wishes to be identified by her first name.
"I chose to stay back as the Australian government does not allow international students to travel back once they leave the country. All my efforts over the last two years would have gone to waste if I had travelled to India at that time," she said.
What made matters worse for Ruby's family was that even her brother, who is also on a student visa in New Zealand, could not attend their dad's funeral because of the border restrictions.
" I am pursuing a cookery course, and it involves practical classes and placements. I could not have been able to complete my course online and had to stay back to attend the practicals," added Ruby.
Ruby, who is anxious to reunite with her mother, said the government should have given some assurance allowing students to return to the country who had compassionate reasons for outward travel.
"While I know there is a provision to apply for an exemption for outward travel, there isn't any guarantee that we'd get it.
"I wish they could allow us to leave and return within a stipulated time as we are ready to quarantine in India as well as in Australia upon our return," she said.
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