As part of a new support package, the state of Western Australia has earmarked around AUS$16 million to assist the state’s international education sector. It was announced that a support programme will be implemented after the state delayed the reopening of its borders due to the Omicron variant earlier in February.

As part of the package, the Student Quarantine Support Program will receive $8 million, which will be used to fund $2,000 payments to international students in the state beginning in Semester 1, 2022, to cover quarantine-related expenses.

A total of $6 million has been allocated to the Industry Support Program, which will strive to assist eligible small and medium-sized education providers that have been negatively impacted by the closure of international borders. Grants in the amounts of $50,000 and $100,000 are offered to enterprises.

Universities in Western Australia will receive an additional $500 grant to help them provide support services to affected international students during this time of transition. A total of $2 million has been set aside for this purpose.