Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that the cap on international passenger arrivals will increase on 15 February 2021 from 4,100 to 6,300.
In January 2021, new protocols and restrictions for all international arrivals were imposed as a measure to contain the new strain of the COVID- 19 from spreading through the country. The new announcement will return international arrival numbers to the capacity prior to the January 2021 reduction.
Currently, international arrivals are reduced by 50% in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland and it is expected that the caps will return to the previous levels for New South Wales and Queensland. In Western Australia, meanwhile, the capacity will not increase and there is no planned date as to when these may return to normal.
Before 15 January 2021, the number of people arriving in Australia was at 6,645, with the caps introduced those numbers were reduced to 4,127 people per week, and after mid-February, the figure will return to 6,362. The restrictions will be eased or remain for each state as follows:
Regarding the repatriation flights to the Howard Springs facility in the Northern Territory, Canberra and Hobart, these are not counted under the caps and the Government is looking to expand the capacity further of these flights to prioritise helping Australians return home.
Although passenger caps are going to increase, the mandatory two week hotel quarantine will continue even if people have been vaccinated.
