Non-permanent resident tenants on student visas

We have international students sharing a house. We pay all the bills, electricity, gas, water etc.

We just received a group email saying that they have all lost their jobs and are experiencing financial hardship and hence are requesting a reduction in rent.

These students cannot access Centre Link . I thought that those on a Student Visa had to demonstrate to the government that they had a certain amount of money in the bank to pay for rent , living expenses, tuition and an airline ticket back home , if I am correct ???

These students are only here temporarily, some only 6 months and then go back home.

How do we deal with this?

 

Demonstrating money in the bank and actually having money in the bank are not necessarily the same. The type of jobs that students would have had are probably all gone now - cafes, restaurants etc.

 

What does your property manager say?

 

Yes definitely, it is Registered.

 

Registered Rooming House'​

 

Are they not entitled to some form of centrelink from their country of origin, considering the current circumstances and an inability to return "home" ?

 

Highly unlikely and never heard. Students are their own sponsors, similar to backpackers except they are here to study which means pay for University and their stay.
Good luck.

 

It would be interesting to see if they were actually working 20 hours per week.

If they cannot afford to live here anymore, I would have thought it was time to go back home?? They would also need to pay for their university fees, which I know are not cheap. They must have the money to continue staying and studying here or perhaps the Universities should waive or reduce their fees??

 

Even if they don't pay any rent, how will they feed themselves?
I'm feeling a scam here ...

 

not all overseas students are filthy rich, some have had their family borrow from just about everyone to afford to send them here, and some work to help their family burden while others work to so they can buy another gucci handbag or prove to the rest of the family they are independant

 

I do realise that, but genuine question - no income, how can they pay any rent or feed themselves?
If the OP drops rent by 20% , 50% - is that going to help?

 

Or how will they pay their University fees? What is the point of remaining in Australia when they can go back home?

 

A lot of them pay fees upfront, as for rent and food, I'm sure it ranges from those that have a years worth in their account as cash, to those that work to pay for rent and food

Op needs to make a judgement call or test the waters

 

I have a number of international students working for me.
They all work 20 hours or less during term times. My understanding is that they can work more during holidays.
They are almost all casual. A couple are part time.
They are all good workers.
Our weekly turnover is down 35% compared to a month ago.
But being a growing company even with this fall we turnover 30% more than the same time last year.
I think this means we wont be eligible for govt support to subsidise anybodys wages.
In addition, as it stands, they are not eligible workers anyway, being temporary residents.
If we need to let them go (as we are currently resourced for 35% higher turnover) they will also not be eligible for the jobseekers allowance.
AFAIK they are not eligible for medicare?
What do they pay tax for?
Almost all are renters, so will have a knock on effect to landlords.

 

Most aren't working and can't afford to stay or afford to leave...

We have a young pommy staying with us, he actually had a ticket to leave before ScoMo closed the borders, gave notice, handed in keys, packed ready to go, but the airline cancelled the flight.....

Even if he had $5k and a week it's likely he couldn't get back into the UK anyway

So what can they each do ?