Edit: Due to the new COVID-19 variant, international border opening has been delayed for some visa holders. You should check travel restrictions prior to booking a ticket or getting on your flight. See here for updated information: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions
Yes! It’s happening. The wall is coming down and Australia will open its doors again to the outside world, in just 6 days on 1 December 2021. But the metaphorical doors are not open to everyone.
So, don’t book your plane ticket before you read below!
Who is allowed?
People that hold eligible visas:
Training or Study
• Subclass 407 – Training Visa
• Subclass 500 – Student Visa
• Subclass 580 / Subclass – Student Guardian Visa
Backpackers
• Subclass 417 – Working Holiday Visa
• Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday Visa
Family
• Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage Visa
• Subclass 461 – New Zealand Family Relationship Visa
• Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa
Work
• Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa
• Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa
• Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity Visa
• Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa
• Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate 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 998 – Maritime Crew Visa
Humanitarian
• 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 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) Visa
• Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection Visa
• Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise Visa
Plus everyone else in the already exempt category below.
What do you have to do to get in?
1. Be fully vaccinated or double jabbed with an approved vaccination (or have evidence of a medical exemption) and be able to provide your vaccination certificate.
2. At least 7 days have passed since the final dose of the vaccine.
3. Have a valid visa, from the list above (or below).
4. Have a valid passport.
Do I have to quarantine when I get to Australia?
1. You will not have to quarantine if you enter via New South Wales, Victoria or ACT.
2. You will be subject to reduced quarantine for Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory – every state and territory has its own quarantine rules. These should be checked and organised BEFORE your arrival.
See State and Territory Information, here: https://www.australia.gov.au/states
Am I exempt from the travel restrictions?
Possibly. If you fit the description of someone on this list:
• an Australian citizen
• guardians of Australian citizen children aged under 2 years
• a permanent resident of Australia
• an immediate family member of an Australian citizen or permanent resident (parents, spouse or children)
• a New Zealand citizen usually resident in Australia and their immediate family members
• a person who has been in New Zealand or Australia for 14 days or more immediately prior to arrival by air in Australia
• a diplomat accredited to Australia, including their immediate family members (each member of the family unit must hold a valid subclass 995 visa)
• a person transiting Australia for 72 hours or less
• airline crew, maritime crew including marine pilots
• a person recruited under the Government approved Seasonal Worker Program or Pacific Labour Scheme
• a person who holds a Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) visa
• a person who holds a Temporary Activity (subclass 408) visa in the ‘Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Event’ stream and who is supported by the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce
• Citizens of specified passport countries, that are fully vaccinated and arriving into a state or territory that does not require quarantine.
o Singapore
o Japan (from 1 December 2021)
o Republic of South Korea (from 1 December 2021)
Are there any other exemptions?
There are some other exemptions however these still require an approved travel exemption to enter Australia. For individual exemptions for persons not on the above lists, see here https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions under Individual Exemptions.
Who is not on the list?
At this time, Tourist Visas have not yet been added to the list for entry.
This means that if you are wanting to travel to Australia and are not an immediate family member of an Australian, or you cannot obtain one of the visas in the list above – you will need to wait a bit longer. Realistically, the Australian Government will determine complete border opening once international travellers start to come back into Australia and COVID cases can be monitored. If I was a betting woman, I would guess around March 2022 – but, that is absolutely not legal advice.
If you need help navigating the above list and can’t decide which visa or exemption is right for you, get in touch with us! (hello@passagemigration.consulting).
Otherwise, travel safe,find your passport and don’t forget your undies!
Rachael is our Legal Practice Director, Youtube Host and Creator of Passage Migration Consulting.
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