Eligible visa holders can enter Australia from 1 December

Australia continues to take further steps to safely reopen to the world, with additional changes to the country’s international border arrangements coming into effect on 1 December.

Changes are in line with the National Plan. As part of the plan, the government hopes to reunite families and securing the country’s economic recovery by opening borders to skilled and student visa holders.

From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can come to Australia 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.

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.

From 1 December 2021, Australia will also welcome back fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Under these arrangements, citizens of Japan and the Republic of Korea 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.

Today’s announcement follows earlier changes which have seen the country welcome home fully vaccinated Australians, permanent residents and their immediate family members since 1 November, and follows the commencement of the Singapore safe travel zone yesterday.

neoskosmos.com