Immigration has become a hot topic for Australia during the coronavirus pandemic.  With the COVID-19 virus putting a dramatic halt to Australian arrivals, Melbourne-based Greek Consul-General Dimitris Michalopoulos agreed to meet with administrators of the Facebook group, Greek Newly Arrived Migrants in Australia (ENA), on Saturday morning to respond to questions regarding the situation of new arrivals to Australia.

Mr Michalopoulos said that repatriation of Greek nationals back to their home country is the only matter with which the consulate is concerned with at this point in time following relevant guidelines from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There are two categories for the return of nationals to Greece: Greek citizens and Greek Australians visiting Australia when the coronavirus pandemic broke out resulting in the cancellation of flights. Mr Michalopoulos said that Qatar airlines are the only group operating flights to Greece, however he is negotiating with two other airlines which are currently offering cargo flights. “When passenger flights begin again with good, competitive prices we will make announcements to let you know,” Mr Michalopoulos told  ENA.

He made reference to a meeting with Acting Federal Immigration Minister Alan Tudge, who had met with the press last week to state that the country recognises the importance of immigrants to its economy and society however Australian citizens and residents are the priority.

“Firstly, all the efforts with the welfare payments and the JobKeeper payments are very much focused on Australians and permanent residents here. If you’re here on a temporary visa and you do run out of money then we do encourage people to return home where you may be able to get support,” Mr Tudge had said. “Immigration will resume when it will be safe to do so.”

Mr Michalopoulos also added that Mr Tudge had met with 34 foreign diplomats, ambassadors and consuls.

READ MORE: Visa holders who left Australia due to COVID-19 will not start from scratch when they return, said Multicultural Affairs Minister Alan Tudge

He said the Australian government was taking measures to protect its economy, and recommended that Greek nationals return to their homeland. “Australia will not permanently close the door to (these people), with the possibility of their return to take place later when the economy stands on its feet, but we need to understand that the Australian economy will go into a period which is unprecedented for (them) – unfortunately very familiar to us – know as ‘recession’. And in order to deal with the situation, they chose to dispense with the burden of temporary workers to public health funds as a measure,” he said.

“Greeks are not the only ones to leave. The measures concern everyone. Already, 50,000 Brits and 10,000 French have left. The number of Spaniards who are in Australia on a temporary visa are 24,000. The corresponding number of Greeks are 2,000. From those, some are in a transitional stage waiting for their temporary visa to be transformed to permanent, but some will need to leave.”

Mr Michalopoulos underlined the clarity of Mr Tudge’s regarding Australia’s intent to give priority to Australian citizens and permanent residents. He said that all embassies of countries which have nationals in Australia on temporary visas are working towards the goal of returning their people to their countries of origin.

Asked about whether the Greek government would help those who have a problem covering the huge cost of air fares back to Greece, Mr Michalopoulos said that there is no such plan. He also said that those stranded in Australia should hurry and buy tickets while they still have savings.

READ MORE: Australia’s government believes in integration for visa holders, but stops short of JobKeeper/JobSeeker

Greek Consulate of Melbourne is still operating

Due to coronavirus measures, the services of the Greek Consulate in Melbourne are still not operating normally, however powers of attorney are not offered at this time whereas the process for passport applications has been influenced due to the unexpected supsension of the diplomatic post with the foreign ministry.

Those in need of a passport in order to deal with Australian immigration services should make an application to receive relevant certification.

At the moment, Greece’s borders are open to Greek nationals, Greek Australians and permanent residents of Greece however “all other travel to Greece is no longer justified for as long as restrictions are in place”.

Due to unmitigated circumstances as a result of the pandemic, Mr Michalopoulos said the most effective way to communicate with the Greek Consulate is via email. “All messages to all services will be immediately addressed,” Mr Michalopoulos said. He said to contact grgencon.mel@mfa.gr

“Calm, patience and persistence,” is what Mr Michaelopoulos said to ENA members at the conclusion of the meeting and also said he understood the difficult “life decisions they must make.”

“To uproot yourself a second time from the country you migrated to is not so easy,” he said, adding that it was a “temporary situation and there would be the possibility of return”.