An announcement so many of us have been waiting for – we have a staged plan for opening our international border and enabling love ones to reunite with family and friends.
As vaccination rates continue to increase and we remain on track to hit double dose rates predictions. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a framework for how international travel will look in the coming months.
For fully-vaccinated Australians, the changes mean there will be no travel restrictions to enter or leave Australia if you are a vaccinated and plans for completely quarantine-free travel for certain countries, such as New Zealand are also underway.
Following completion of home quarantine pilots in New South Wales and South Australia, it is anticipated that states and territories that are ready to do so will roll out:
- Seven day home quarantine for Australian citizens and permanent residents fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved for use in Australia or ‘recognised’ by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
- 14-day managed quarantine for anyone not vaccinated or vaccinated with a vaccine not approved or recognised by the TGA.
States and territories will begin this program at different times given their varying vaccination rates but the new system is expected to commence in November.
Once the new quarantine system is implemented, the current overseas travel restrictions related to COVID-19 will be removed and Australians will be able to travel subject to any other travel advice and limits, as long as they are fully vaccinated and those countries’ border settings allow.
