After 20 months of travel restrictions, Australia will reopen on 1 December to eligible visa holders who are fully vaccinated. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday and provisional family visa holders. This highly anticipated change brings relief to temporary visa holders onshore and outside Australia.
In a media statement Prime Minister Scott Morrison today said that "the return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will further cement our economic recovery, providing the valuable workers our economy needs and supporting our important education sector."
Travel to Australia will be allowed without needing to apply for a travel exemption. 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 (see list below)
Provide proof of their vaccination status
Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure
Complete an Australia Travel Declaration at least 72 hours before their flight
Eligible visas
Subclass 200 – Refugee visa
Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa
Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa
Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa
Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa
Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa
Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream)
Subclass 407 – Training visa
Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa
Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa
Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa
Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa
Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa
Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa
Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa
Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa
Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa
Subclass 500 – Student visa
Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants)
Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa
Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa
Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa
Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa
Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa
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.
Notably, Visitor visas are missing form the list and so are Bridging visas B. The Department of Home Affairs have said that additional visa subclasses may be added over time. People who do not hold an eligible visa or who are not fully vaccinated may be permitted to enter Australia, subject to the travel exemptions requirements currently in place.
Japan and South Korea Travel Bubble
From 1 December 2021, Australia will also welcome back fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and South Korea. Citizens of these countries who hold a valid Australian visa 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.
Complete an Australia Travel Declaration at least 72 hours before their flight
For more information please Contact Us or email elan@ryshermigration.com.au
Elan Rysher is a Registered Migration Agent and Qualified Student Counsellor. He is the main Writer for ImmiUpdates and the founder of Rysher Migration. Elan has many years of experience working in immigration, finance and health. Being a former migrant himself, Elan is passionate about helping others fulfil their Australian dream.
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