Douglas Olsen
Australia has had some of the world's toughest border restrictions since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After more than 600 days, the country lifted its international travel ban for citizens in October 2021, with plans to open its borders to skilled workers, working holiday makers, and international students by the end of the year. This easing of restrictions came as Australia's adult double-dose vaccination rate approached 80%. While Sydney has removed quarantine requirements for returning travellers, other Australian states with lower vaccination rates still mandate a 14-day hotel quarantine.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of lifting ban | By the end of 2021 |
| Who can travel? | Fully vaccinated skilled workers, international students, and other visa holders |
| Quarantine requirements | Depends on the state/territory of arrival; Sydney has no quarantine requirements, but other states have a 14-day hotel quarantine mandate |
| PCR test requirement | Required before boarding the flight |
| Travel bubble program | Implemented with Singapore, Korea, and Japan |
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What You'll Learn
Australia lifts travel ban for citizens
On 27 October 2021, the Australian government announced that it would lift the ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission. This came as the country's adult double-dose vaccination rate edged closer to the 80% target. From that date, fully vaccinated citizens no longer needed to seek an exemption to leave the country.
The country's border was also set to open to skilled workers, working holidaymakers, and international students by the end of the year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the country was:
> "working to a timetable around about then which will see other visa-holders [...] being able to come to Australia."
On 30 November 2021, it was announced that eligible visa holders would be able to enter Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption, as long as they were fully vaccinated. This change was due to the country meeting its 85% double vaccination target.
Quarantine arrangements for returning vaccinated residents depend on the state in which they arrive. While Sydney has scrapped quarantine for returning travellers, other Australian states with lower vaccination rates still have mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine requirements.
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International students allowed by year-end
Australia has announced that it will lift its ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission. The country's border will open to skilled workers, working holiday makers and international students by the end of the year. This comes as the country's adult double-dose vaccination rate edged closer to an 80% target.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said that while Australian citizens were currently being prioritised, more travel restrictions, including for some non-citizens, would be eased as vaccination rates increased. "Before the end of the year, we anticipate welcoming fully vaccinated skilled workers and international students," she said.
International students will still need to abide by the quarantine laws of the state or territory they arrive in. However, in jurisdictions without quarantine arrangements, international students will not count towards passenger caps. All travellers will need to return a negative PCR test before boarding their flight but will not be required to quarantine if the state or territory they are arriving in does not have quarantine requirements.
This change is a result of the country meeting its 85% target of the population being double vaccinated. It ends a 620-day streak of Australia's international borders being closed to all visa holders except those who met stringent exemption requirements.
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Quarantine rules for vaccinated residents
Australia has announced that it will lift its ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission. The country's border will be open to skilled workers, working holiday makers, and international students by the end of the year. This comes as the country's adult double-dose vaccination rate neared the 80% target, with the government anticipating that this rate will continue to increase.
Quarantine arrangements for returning vaccinated residents depend on where they arrive in Australia. Sydney has scrapped quarantine for returning travellers, but other Australian states with lower vaccination rates still have mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine requirements. Queensland, for instance, has specific rules for vaccinated travellers. From November 19, fully vaccinated travellers entering Queensland from interstate can quarantine at home. However, their place of quarantine must be within a two-hour drive from the airport, and they must travel to the residence via private or government-organised transport or a contactless hire car. Additionally, they must respond to daily text messages from Queensland Health to demonstrate compliance with requirements. From December 17, quarantine will be scrapped altogether for fully vaccinated domestic travellers who return a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours.
In New South Wales, fully vaccinated residents can travel to Victoria without needing to quarantine. However, travellers coming into NSW from Victoria have to quarantine at home for 14 days but can leave to get essentials such as food and exercise.
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Travel bubble program with Singapore, Korea, and Japan
Australia has announced that it will lift its international travel ban for citizens and international students by the end of 2021. The country's adult double-dose vaccination rate has reached its 80% target, allowing fully vaccinated citizens to travel without exemptions. Australia's Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has also announced that travel restrictions will be further lifted to facilitate the return of skilled workers, working holidaymakers, and students to Australia. From December 1, 2021, eligible visa holders will be able to enter Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption, provided they are fully vaccinated.
In addition to easing travel restrictions, Australia has been working on establishing travel bubbles with several countries. A travel bubble with Singapore was initially planned for mid-year, allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries for work, study, or holiday purposes. However, the plan faced skepticism due to the ambitious timeline and the ongoing rollout of vaccination programs.
Australia has also expressed interest in expanding the travel bubble to include Japan and South Korea. Japan has been actively rebooting its travel industry and has successfully launched travel bubbles with multiple countries, including Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. Japan's travel bubbles primarily focus on business travel and long-term visitors or residents, with varying levels of quarantine and COVID-19 testing requirements.
The implementation of travel bubbles and the easing of border restrictions are positive steps towards reopening international travel to Australia. The measures aim to support industries reliant on international students and workers, such as universities and horticulture. While the travel bubble with Singapore faced delays, Australia remains committed to establishing safe travel corridors with select countries as vaccination rates continue to increase.
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Visa applications backlog
Australia has some of the world's toughest border restrictions, which it introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 27 October 2021, the Australian government announced that it would lift the ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission. The country's border would open to skilled workers and international students by the end of the year. On 30 November 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that eligible visa holders would be able to enter Australia without a travel exemption as long as they were fully vaccinated.
Since the border reopened in mid-December 2021, there has been a surge in student visa applications. The Department of Home Affairs received the highest number of applications in ten years in June 2022, with almost 43,000 visas lodged that month. This has resulted in a backlog of visa applications, with nearly 400,000 student visa holders in Australia as of 22 July 2022.
The Australian government is committed to tackling visa backlog issues and has taken measures to reduce the current visa backlog and improve processing times. Surge capacity is being increased through overtime from qualified staff and the reallocation of staff from other areas. The Department of Home Affairs is also prioritising offshore applications, as visa applicants who are already in Australia can commence or continue their studies while holding a bridging visa.
To streamline the visa application process, the Department of Education has implemented updates and website changes to ensure that students and agents submit complete applications. The Department of Home Affairs is also engaging with individual providers and agents to address patterns of incomplete and/or fraudulent applications from certain countries, such as India and Nepal.
The Department of Home Affairs is working closely with the Department of Education to coordinate a joint response to the visa backlog. They are planning a series of roundtables with the sector to hear concerns and propose solutions, with a focus on how the government and the sector can work together to deliver an effective response.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia lifted its travel ban for international students on December 1, 2021.
International students were required to be fully vaccinated and had to provide a negative PCR test before boarding their flight. They also had to abide by the quarantine laws of the state or territory they arrived in.
The travel ban resulted in a significant disruption to overseas travel and education plans for international students, with many stranded in their home countries or unable to see friends and relatives.
The Australian government lifted the travel ban as the country's adult double-dose vaccination rate approached 80%. The decision also aimed to address industry-wide worker shortages, particularly in universities that rely on international students.
