Morning mail: visa holders’ travel limbo, Jenkins review action urged,

Thursday: Many temporary visa holders face another Christmas without family. Plus: expanded league gets set for 20210-22 season

Good morning. Skilled workers face Australian residency jeopardy, government advisers urge swift action on sex discrimination inside parliament and more countries tighten their borders in the face of Omicron.

Thousands of skilled workers and bridging visa holders are contemplating leaving Australia permanently due to inconsistencies in the government's pandemic response that mean several visa categories are not included for exemption-free travel from mid-December. People on distinguished talent visas or awaiting permanent residency confirmation are being effectively blocked from returning home, with some, like Giorgia Di Girolamo, facing a difficult the prospect of giving up the life she's built in Australia since 2017 to see her dying grandfather. A petition to expand exemption-free travel to such visa holders has garnered 9,000 signatories.