“Our borders aren’t opening up any time soon,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a journalist at the National Press Club yesterday

“Sure, we will be working with the higher education sector, but I note 80 per cent of the international students that come to Australia are here. They are here. The way it is talked about, you would think they were not. But about 80 per cent are here,” Mr Morrison said.

He’s right. The Department of Education, Skills and Employment reports 606 000, that’s 80 per cent, of international student visa holders, “who may be effected by COVID-19 travel restrictions” were in the country as of May 10. The figure for HE is 78 per cent and 82 per cent for PG research.

Problem is what the PM means by “any time soon.” Second semester this year and 2021 will be when providers take the big revenue hits if there are no arrivals.