As if We Weren't Humans: The Abandonment of Temporary Migrants in Australia during COVID-19
68 Pages Posted: 13 Oct 2020
Laurie Berg
University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Law
Bassina Farbenblum
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Date Written: October 11, 2020
Abstract
In March 2020, nationwide lockdowns to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Australia caused widespread job loss among temporary visa holders. This had a devastating financial impact on these workers, including international students, backpackers, graduates, sponsored workers and refugees, leaving many unable to meet their basic living needs such as food and rent. However, unlike some other similar Western countries, the Australian government excluded temporary migrants from wage subsidies and almost all other forms of financial support.
This report assesses the humanitarian impact of government policies related to COVID-19 on the hundreds of thousands of temporary migrants who remained in Australia. It presents findings from a survey conducted in July 2020 of over 6,100 temporary visa holders on their experiences of financial insecurity, precarious housing and homelessness, humanitarian need, racism and social exclusion, as well as their attitudes on their time in Australia. In doing so, it seeks to establish a platform for temporary migrants to voice their experiences and establish current large-scale first-hand empirical data to inform government decision-making.
Keywords: migrant workers, international students, COVID-19, human rights, Australia
JEL Classification: K37, K31, K33, L31, L38
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Bassina Farbenblum
University of New South Wales (UNSW) ( email )
Kensington
High St
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Related eJournals
-
Law & Humanities eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS2,007PAPERS10,079This Journal is curated by:Reva Siegel at Yale University - Law School -
Comparative Law eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS1,670PAPERS14,900This Journal is curated by:Francesco Parisi at University of Minnesota - Law School -
Public International Law: Human Rights eJournal
Public International Law: Human Rights eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS1,327PAPERS13,802This Journal is curated by:Alan Sykes at Stanford University - Law School -
Discrimination, Law & Justice eJournal
Discrimination, Law & Justice eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS1,232PAPERS17,883This Journal is curated by:Francisco Valdes at University of Miami - School of Law -
Law & Society: International & Comparative Law eJournal
Law & Society: International & Comparative Law eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS963PAPERS33,010This Journal is curated by:Christiana Ochoa at Indiana University Maurer School of Law -
International Employment & Labor Law eJournal
International Employment & Labor Law eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS900PAPERS2,059This Journal is curated by:J. H. Verkerke at University of Virginia School of Law -
Labor: Public Policy & Regulation eJournal
Labor: Public Policy & Regulation eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS699PAPERS13,953 -
Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Law eJournal
Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Law eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS674PAPERS8,721This Journal is curated by:Kevin R. Johnson at University of California, Davis - School of Law -
Labor: Supply & Demand eJournal
Labor: Supply & Demand eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS669PAPERS13,267 -
Housing & Community Development Law eJournal
Housing & Community Development Law eJournal
Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS629PAPERS2,500This Journal is curated by:Robin Paul Malloy at Syracuse University College of Law, Aviva Abramovsky at University at Buffalo Law School -
Human Rights & the Global Economy eJournal
Human Rights & the Global Economy eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS619PAPERS10,430This Journal is curated by:Wendy E. Parmet at Northeastern University - School of Law, Martha F. Davis at Northeastern University - School of Law -
Health Economics eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS616PAPERS18,271 -
Cultural Anthropology: History, Theory, Methods & Applications eJournal
Cultural Anthropology: History, Theory, Methods & Applications eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS370PAPERS13,163 -
Law & Society: Public Law - Poverty eJournal
Law & Society: Public Law - Poverty eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS366PAPERS2,047This Journal is curated by:Pamela Foohey at Yeshiva University - Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law -
Migration, Urban & Transnational Anthropology eJournal
Migration, Urban & Transnational Anthropology eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS333PAPERS12,193 -
Political Anthropology eJournal
Political Anthropology eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS234PAPERS15,259 -
Social & Personality Psychology eJournal
Social & Personality Psychology eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS147PAPERS17,898 -
Climate & Environmental Psychology eJournal
Climate & Environmental Psychology eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS70PAPERS9,927 -
International Political Economy: Migration eJournal
International Political Economy: Migration eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS68PAPERS5,567 -
Political Economy - Development: Health eJournal
Political Economy - Development: Health eJournal
Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS52PAPERS14,880 -
Human Rights eJournal
Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS5PAPERS29,659 -
Poverty Research eJournal
Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic
FOLLOWERS3PAPERS10,522