"The Department of Education, Skills and Employment issued advice earlier this week on how students "may" be able to get back to Australia via a third country and provided examples. "A student leaves mainland China on 3 Feb 2020 and goes to Malaysia. Provided the student does not return to mainland China they could enter Australia on 17 Feb 2020," one example said.The specific examples have since been removed from the department's website."
In a statement issued on Monday, the department advised the ABC: "As at the 10th of February 2020, students who have been in another country other than mainland China for the last 14 days may be able to enter Australia provided the student does not return to China on the way to Australia."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also posted on Chinese social media platform WeChat on the weekend reminding students who already had visas that they remained valid and would only be cancelled "if the student attempts to travel to Australia and it is determined that the person has been to mainland China from 1 February 2020".
