The Federal Government is considering special welfare payments for temporary migrants stranded in Australia without work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Social Services Minister Anne Ruston has confirmed the government is working to determine what options there are to assist visa holders who suffer financial hardship during the health crisis.
Most temporary migrants are ineligible for any welfare support with many facing the confronting prospect of losing their jobs as industries such as hospitality and tourism shut down.
There are an estimated 1.5 million people on temporary visas without access to government services.
“I am currently working my way through those visa types to see what options there are available to assist those people,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
Senator Ruston said her ministerial powers included the capacity to grant what is known as a “special benefit” payment to visas holders who would otherwise not be eligible for social security payments.
Minister for Social Services Anne Ruston. Source: AAP
“That is already in place,” she said.
This discretion means welfare assistance could become available through the special benefit payment if they face financial distress.
It’s understood access to the new coronavirus supplement payment for welfare recipients of $550 per fortnight may also be available through this payment.
Currently almost all temporary or provisional visa holders in Australia don't have access to standard welfare support.
The only exception to this is people on a protected Special Category visa (who arrived before February 2001).
Migration Council of Australia CEO Carla Wilshire told SBS News temporary visa holders needed more protection during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“These are exceptional times and we need to start looking at exceptional policies,” she said.
There are also concerns that as flights out of Australia become increasingly limited, many temporary migrants could find themselves stranded in the country when their visas expire and without access to welfare support.
Ms Wilshire said temporary migrants need to be granted visa extensions, access to welfare payments, and possibly even Medicare provisions.
Their access to medical services through insurance schemes can often be time limited with some policies also not covering pandemics.
“We need to start looking at measures to be able to provide that - so we don’t have people - who are going hungry (and) who are not able to pay rent,” she said.
Ms Wilshire, who welcomed the government's openness to assisting temporary migrants, said many had already raised concerns directly about losing their jobs and livelihoods.
Seasonal workers pick Riesling grapes at Surveyor's Hill vineyard outside Canberra. Source: AAP
Labor has written to the Federal Government raising the need to address these uncertainties during the pandemic.
The opposition's multicultural affairs spokesperson Andrew Giles told SBS News there needs to be a safety net for all temporary migrants during the pandemic.
“The virus doesn’t recognise visa status and in terms of making sure no one falls behind we have to take the same approach,” he said.
“We need to make sure that everyone knows there is a safety net for them - that they don’t have incentive to go to work if they don’t need to.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Social Services said under stimulus measures already passed the government has waived the waiting period for newly-arrived residents.
This means migrants who are permanent residents will temporarily be able to access income support payments sooner.
"Welfare assistance may be available to some other temporary visa holders if they face significant financial hardship under the Special Benefit payment," the spokesperson said.
