Some 200,000 students and eligible visa holders were expected to travel to Australia between now and January, subject to the quarantine arrangements in their state of arrival.
Canberra: Australia’s international border will be further eased from next week under substantial changes announced by the federal government on Monday. From 1 December, Australia’s travel bubble will be expanded and skilled workers, eligible visa holders and international students will be able to arrive quarantine-free, subject to some conditions.
“Australia is re-opening to the world,” said Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews as she announced the news, adding it was “yet another step forward for Australia.” The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison lifted restrictions on Australians travelling overseas last month, sparking a flood of travel bookings for the southern hemisphere summer.
Who will be able to come to Australia?
Overseas students and skilled workers will be able to fly to Australia from 1 December provided they’re fully vaccinated and test negative to the virus within three days prior to flying. Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said it would be a “major milestone” for the nation’s economic recovery.
Some 200,000 students and eligible visa holders were expected to travel to Australia between now and January, subject to the quarantine arrangements in their state of arrival when the changes come into effect.
Morrison said it would be the government’s “highest priority” to secure flights for Afghan visa holders in the first stages. The federal government allocated an initial 3,000 humanitarian visas when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August.
“I always saw that number as a floor, not a ceiling,” he said. “It was a topical conversation I had with quite a few leaders when I was overseas, particularly in the UK and in Canada. We are all working together on what is a very challenging issue.”
