Indian-born Sai Sakamuri is struggling to survive on the 10 hours a week of work she's getting at her job at a fuel station in Port Melbourne.

Key points: There are 1.2 million workers in Australia on temporary visas

There are 1.2 million workers in Australia on temporary visas There is no specific government support for them, other than drawing up to $10,000 from their superannuation

There is no specific government support for them, other than drawing up to $10,000 from their superannuation Leading academics and business owners are calling on the Government to help support migrant workers who've lost their jobs or whose hours have been significantly reduced

The masters student came to Australia a year ago to further her studies.

"I love business analytics, so I just want to pursue that here," she said.

Ms Sakamuri is one of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who have either lost their job or had their hours significantly reduced since COVID-19 shut many businesses doors and kept customers at home.

They have been sent a clear message from the government.

"You're very welcome here, however if you cannot support yourself over the next six months, then you should consider leaving the country," acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge told the ABC on Monday.

Ms Sakamuri and 1.2 million temporary worker visa holders in Australia don't qualify for the government's $320 billion worth of stimulus announced in recent weeks.

"I think the Government has been pretty clear that unfortunately, unless she can otherwise support herself, she should make plans to leave," immigration law expert Teresa Liu told The Business.

With India's borders closed to any arrivals, including Indian-born nationals, Ms Sakamuri is caught in the middle of a health and economic crisis.

"They will not allow me [into India] because the flights are cancelled," she said.

"I can't return to India and I can't stay in Australia if I don't earn enough money.

"It's a really difficult situation."

Half of migrant workers have lost their jobs

A recent survey by Unions NSW found half of the migrant workers they surveyed have lost their jobs, while a fifth of them, like Ms Sakamuri and Sydney chef Bernard Orora, have had their hours reduced.

"It's cut in half and now I have to readjust everything, my rent, transport and food," Mr Orora said.

His shifts have been cut from 40 hours a week to about 23.

"It's not enough to live on because now I have to move out of the house and look for a new apartment that is cheaper and I need to find a roommate."

The 26-year-old from Kenya has been in Australia for two years.

He says he can't ask for help from his family back home because their work has been impacted by coronavirus too.

"My mum said now everybody is at home in Kenya because of the quarantine, so it's just like here in Australia, you can only leave the house when it's essential for you to go out," he told The Business.

"They are willing to help me, but also I know asking them with their situation — well I just have to fend for myself."

Sydney chef Bernard Orora's shifts have been cut from 40 hours a week to about 23. ( John Gunn )

Support for New Zealanders

Workers from New Zealand will be eligible for the JobKeeper payment, but only if they've been with the same employer for 12 months or more.

Over the weekend, the Federal Government announced temporary visa holders will be able to access a portion of their super.

"If you've been a skilled visa worker and you've been here for a couple of years, you may well have $10,000 or $20,000 in superannuation which you've already accumulated, that can help you get through to the other side so you can be fully engaged again," Mr Tudge said.

But Professor Peter Whiteford from the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University, said it was "highly unlikely to be satisfactory for people who haven't been here very long".

"If, say for example, you've only been in Australia 10 or 11 months, then you probably don't have much superannuation," he told The Business.

Professor Whiteford said many migrant workers tended to be exploited in the labour market, and one of the most common issues is their superannuation contributions aren't paid properly.

"There will be many people, an unknown number of people, for whom it simply won't be either available or enough to keep them going," he said.

Professor Whiteford and his colleagues are calling on the government to expand the JobSeeker and Coronavirus Supplement payments to include migrant workers.

"We just think it's a matter of simple common sense that, for those people, they need to be extended some form of income support."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 3 minutes 21 seconds 3 m 21 s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg details JobKeeper scheme of $1,500 per fortnight for businesses to pay employees

Employers are calling for help too

Back at Zucchero Caffe Bar where Mr Orora works, his boss Valerio Domenici — himself a child of migrant Italians in the 1960's — is still working out what subsidies he is eligible for to help keep his business running.

"We do need some help to keep the doors open," Mr Domenici said.

"I've got to look after my team as well.

Valerio Domenici runs Zucchero Caffe Bar and is still working out what subsidies he can qualify for to help keep his business running. ( John Gunn )

"They don't qualify at this point in time for anything, any assistance, so if I don't actually keep my doors open, what happens to these guys?"

Mr Domenici opened his café in August last year, so even if his workers were not on temporary visas, they wouldn't qualify for the JobKeeper package because they've been in their job less than 12 months.

His head barista Indiana River is a permanent resident in Australia.

She's hopeful the government will relax those regulations to help people like her.

"I'm not sure how it's going to work now because I've been working here for seven months, but if the government really helped me, that means [my colleagues] can have more shifts and I will have support from the government."

Indiana River may miss out on wage subsidies unless the Government announces changes. ( John Gunn )

Professor Whiteford estimates it will cost about $1.4 billion to support 100,000 migrant workers for six months if they're able to access the JobSeeker and Coronavirus Supplement payments.

It's a significant figure, but a small part of the multi-billion-dollar international education sector in Australia.

A government report showed higher education in Australia was worth $22.2 billion in 2017-18.

Students like Ms Sakamuri would welcome any government support.

"We are equal to all others, we are paying fees, superannuation and taxes just like Australian citizens, so we have to be helping each other," she said.

"It's not about the citizenship or visa status."