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I went from doing 30 hours on average a week to less than 10 hours a week when the crisis hit. I am ineligible for any government assistance as I am overseas student who is in the midst of apply for my 485 post graduate working visa. I am a casual and I appreciate the union for fighting for our rights but at this point, all the approved help and policies does not apply to me. I am a casual thus no access to annual leaves. I am having a hard time finding for other jobs in other sectors to get by but it’s not looking hopeful. I just want people to understand that not just Australians are affected by this crisis, but international students who are here are affected too, some do not have the options to leave because lots of money has been injected for their school fees that it’s just too much to drop everything to leave. I personally have injected $3000 into my visa application and I’m not ready to give that up. If I do, would I be able to leave the country within 28 days given the flight cancellation? Would this visa cancellation affect my future application of other vise to enter Australia? We need financial assistance as well. Our family and home countries are affected as well by this worldwide crisis. We should be able to access financial funds during this crisis because we contribute to tax. We work and pay our taxes so why aren’t we supported when we are supporting the economy of Australia?

UWU acknowledges that we meet and work on the unceded lands of First Nations peoples.
We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past and present — and acknowledge the important role all First Nations peoples continue to play within Australia and in our union.

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Authorised by T. Kennedy, United Workers Union, 833 Bourke St, Docklands, VIC 3008

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