Aussies trapped abroad

MORE than 23,000 Australians stuck overseas due to coronavirus border restrictions want to come home, up from 18,800 on August 20.

The Department of Foreign Affairs told a Senate inquiry on Wednesday that 7000 of the stranded Aussies were in India.

DFAT spokeswoman Dr Fiona Webster told the committee about 15 per cent of travellers stuck overseas, or 3450 people, were classed as “vulnerable”.

More than $1.3m in traveller emergency loans related to coronavirus were issued between March and June.

At least 402 loans have already been issued and available funds have increased from $550,000 to $5m.

There is no cap on the number of loans that can be issued to desperate travellers who have exhausted all options.

The federal government’s 4000 weekly passenger cap has slashed the number of arrivals into the country and left airlines struggling to break even on scheduled flights.

This is forcing people to borrow money from family and friends to pay for a business class ticket in the hope they will be bumped up the waiting list for a seat.

The caps are being assessed at fortnightly national cabinet meetings but are scheduled to remain until October 24.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge on Wednesday unveiled a new priority skills list that allows small numbers of sponsored skilled workers to return to Australia to fill urgent needs in critical sectors.

Among the 17 occupations on the list are nurses, GPs, psychiatrists, software and mechanical engineers and construction project managers.

“Our priority is getting Australians back into work, but we also need key health workers to help fight the virus and skilled migrants who are going to be job multipliers to help the economy recover,” Mr Tudge said.

Sponsored visa holders can request an exemption from Australia’s travel restrictions.

However, they will have to quarantine for 14 days at their own expense.

Dutch-Australian man Pieter den Heten, who is stranded in Amsterdam, has created a map and website to show where fellow residents are stuck around the world.

According to the ABC, Mr den Heten has been overseas for six months. He decided to become an advocate for other overseas Australians by launching the “Remove the Cap” website.

“The sheer number of (Aussies trying to return) and scale of the issue really triggered my inner activist,” he said.

His site allows stranded Aussies to drop a pin showing where they are in the world, share their story and even upload a photo.