Thursday 10 June 2021
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has welcomed the NSW Government's pilot plan to allow the safe return of international students as a positive step in our economic rebound.
"International education contributed more than $40 billion to the Australian economy in 2019, so the absence of students over the past year or so has been felt significantly across a number of industries," ARA CEO Paul Zahra said.
"The NSW Government's pilot plan would allow 250 students to arrive each fortnight and quarantine in purpose-built accommodation. This would be scaled up to 500 students a fortnight by the end of the year, pending final approval from the Commonwealth.
"We believe this is a sensible first step to gradually allow the safe return of international students, and we thank the NSW Government for its leadership in driving this outcome.
"International students have been a missing piece in our economic rebound - they fill a number of roles in the retail industry and we look forward to welcoming them back," Mr Zahra said.
