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Fully vaccinated students, skilled workers, working holiday makers, overseas family members and refugees will be allowed to enter Australia without needing to receive a travel exemption from 1 December as part of the Federal Government’s reopening plan, provided they have the appropriate visas.
In addition, fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and South Korea will be permitted to travel from their home country quarantine-free to some states and territories without needing to seek a travel exemption from the beginning of December too.
As announced today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can come to Australia from 1 December without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
- Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
- Hold a valid visa for one of the eligible visa subclasses
- Provide proof of their vaccination status
- Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure.
Travellers to Australia must comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territory to which they plan to travel.
So far, this includes New South Wales for fully vaccinated people and Victoria which today announced students can arrive in Melbourne without having to quarantine provided they have received two doses of a TGA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Under the new arrangements, the Prime Minister also confirmed fully vaccinated citizens of Japan and South Korea who hold a valid Australian visas will be able to travel from their home country quarantine-free to participating states and territories, without needing to seek a travel exemption.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
- Depart from their home country
- Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by the TGA Hold a valid Australian visa
- Provide proof of their vaccination status
- Present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days of departure.
Today’s announcement follows earlier changes which have seen Australia welcome home fully vaccinated citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members since 1 November, and follows the commencement of the Singapore safe travel zone yesterday.
"The return of skilled workers and students to Australia is a major milestone in our pathway back,” PM Morrison said.
“It’s a major milestone about what Australians have been able to achieve. It will mean a lot for the economies of country, right around the country, who need these workers and want to see those students return.”
Updated at 12.13pm AEDT on 22 November 2021.
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