December 1: Australia opens to students, business visa holders

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced yesterday that students and business visa holders would be allowed to land at Sydney and Melbourne airports without needing to apply for a travel exemption

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Vaccinated travellers will not be required to quarantine if they arrive in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Fully vaccinated eligible visa holders will be able to travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption from December 1. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced yesterday that students and business visa holders would be allowed to land at Sydney and Melbourne airports without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Morisson also said that Australia would allow in vaccinated tourists from South Korea and Japan from December 1.

Vaccinated travellers will not be required to quarantine if they arrive in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory that includes Canberra. However, quarantine requirements in Australia are determined by state and territory governments and travellers would need to comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territories that they plan to travel to.

Travellers who can furnish proof that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and children under 12 are also eligible to access the same travel arrangement as fully vaccinated travellers

For the reco0rd, Australia recognises individuals as fully vaccinated if they have received two doses of AstraZeneca Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca Covishield, Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty, Moderna Spikevax, Sinovac Coronavac, Bharat Biotech Covaxin and Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (for 18-60 year olds) as well as those who have received one dose of Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen-Cilag Covid Vaccine. A statement from the ministry of home affairs says, “The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is evaluating other Covid-19 vaccines that may be recognised for the purposes of inbound travel to Australia in future.”

Travellers who can furnish proof that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and children under 12 are also eligible to access the same travel arrangement as fully vaccinated travellers.

However, travellers will need to take a Covid test before boarding a flight. A negative Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result will be required for travelling to Australia. Evidence of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within three days before boarding the flight must be provided during check-in. However, if the flight is delayed, one would still be considered to have met the pre-departure testing requirements and there would be no need for a new test. However, if the flight is re-scheduled or cancelled, then travellers would need to undergo another test taken no more than 3 days before the rescheduled flight.

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