Watch ‘Coping through COVID-19 – a live discussion’<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Almost a month on and we are yet to see any support for temporary visa holders from the federal government leaving many feeling let down by a country and economy they\u2019ve been contributing to.<\/p>\n The government\u2019s message to temporary and student visa holders has been clear: if you can go home, you should.<\/p>\n This has been devastating to those who think of Australia as their home. We seem quick to forget that workers on temporary visa\u2019s often have family or partners in Australia and have built a life for themselves here. Then there\u2019s the economic contribution they\u2019ve made to Australia through taxes as well as the cultural contribution they\u2019ve made to our multicultural community. There\u2019s a lot of talk from politicians about how much Australia values its multicultural society, now is our chance to prove how much we really value the cultural contribution from international workers.<\/p>\n The other issue that seems to have been ignored by the government is that many temporary visa holders can\u2019t actual \u2018go home\u2019 at this time. Borders are closed and the flights that are operating do so at huge expense to passengers, meaning this option is out of reach for many. That leaves over 1 million temporary visa holders stuck in Australia, without work, without access to health care, and no other means of support.<\/p>\n The lack of support not only leaves temporary visa holders who have lost work in financial hardship, but the emotional toll will be high. The anxiety and stress caused by loss of income is a feeling we can all relate to. Combine that with feeling let down by a society you\u2019ve been a contributing member of and the feelings of despair only increase.<\/p>\n For those who also don\u2019t have a support network in Australia, the feeling of isolation can be overwhelming.<\/p>\n While we continue to work closely with the government and push for the Ministers responsible to expand the eligibility of both the JobSeeker and JobKeeper support packages, we also want to provide emotional support to temporary visa holders in Australia.<\/p>\n Staying connected has never been more important, whether that\u2019s keeping in touch with friends and family over zoom or a quick phone call to a colleague to touch base. Talking about how we\u2019re surviving through this period of isolation can help create a sense of solidarity at a time when our physical communities are out of reach.<\/p>\n To continue to foster these online communities and keep conversations going, this Wednesday we\u2019ll be hosting a live discussion with Julie Vlassis Cooke, the founder of\u00a0Flourish Abroad<\/a>. We\u2019ll be discussing what support is available to temporary visa holders during this time, both financial and emotional, as well as helping to grow online networks.<\/p>\n Throughout the coronavirus crisis Julie has been supporting expats through feelings of anxiety and isolation and helping connect them with other expats experiencing similar issues.<\/p>\n