Australian Quarantine Policy
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The Australian government has announced the border opening policy for international students along with some measures. This long-awaited news came on Monday 22 November 2021 when the Australian Government announced that fully vaccinated international students will be welcomed back to Australia on Wednesday 1 December 2021.
Fully vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents can travel overseas without an exemption. Depending on the state or territory of arrival, there may be reduced quarantine requirements when they enter Australia. Learn more about vaccinations, pre-flight testing and travel requirements.
International travel and COVID-19 | Australian Government Department of Health
Prerequisites for Australia travelling
Australia opens its border with certain checks and lots of measures. Before traveling to Australia, students need to full fill the following conditions. all must understand it
- Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosages 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.
Australian Approved Vaccines
- Comirnaty (Pfizer)
- Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca)
- Spikevax (Moderna)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Janssen)
Non Quarantine Territories
The Australian government has divided its quarantine and nonquarantine policy according to its states.
- ACT (Australian Capital Territory)
- Victoria
- NSW (New South Wales)
If you arrive in NSW from overseas not fully vaccinated, a quarantine for at least 14 days is a must. After this isolation period, you can transit domestically and travel home.
Quarantine Territories
Quarantine requirements in Australia are determined by State and Territory governments.
Queensland
In Queensland, 14 days of mandatory quarantine. Any international student or any other person must quarantine 14 days in state-nominated hotels.
Arrivals From Non Safe Zone Countries
If you have been anywhere else overseas in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland, had a brief layover in an interstate COVID-19 hotspot / interstate exposure venue, or did not travel to Australia on a quarantine-free flight, you must:
- travel directly from your arrival point to government-arranged accommodation, as instructed by the relevant authority
- not leave government-arranged accommodation for 14 days, except:
- in an emergency situation
- for safety reasons (to avoid injury or illness, or to escape risk of harm)
- for essential medical care at a hospital, if allowed by the authority
- to depart on another international flight
- as otherwise required or permitted under a direction given to you by a public health emergency officer
- not allow anyone else to enter the premises where you are quarantining unless they are:
- needed for an emergency situation
- a resident of the premises or stay in the premises for quarantine reasons
- required to enter by an emergency officer to conduct a COVID-19 test
- directed to enter by an emergency officer for an emergency and their contact details are recorded.
- only open the door to your room for a permitted purpose if everyone inside is wearing a surgical face mask
- travel in an ambulance if leaving quarantine for medical care and returning to quarantine after care has been received
- travel in an emergency services vehicle or transport arranged by a government authority if leaving quarantine for any other allowed purpose.
- If on a balcony, you cannot:
- physically interact with other guests
- accept or pass over items between balconies
- enter another guest’s balcony.
Queensland International Arrivals Registration
If you have been overseas in the last 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland, you must complete a Queensland International Arrivals Registration.
You don’t have to complete a registration form if you:
- entered Queensland on a quarantine-free flight from a Queensland safe travel zone country
- are international passengers arriving in Queensland on a domestic flight?
International passengers can transit through Queensland without quarantining or completing the Queensland International Arrivals Registration if they remain at the airport until their next international flight to leave Australia and their next flight is within 8 hours of their arrival in Queensland.
An international transit passenger must quarantine if one has between 8 and 72 hours from your arrival in Queensland.
Unaccompanied Minors
- Unaccompanied minors (under the age of 18) who have been overseas (excluding Queensland safe travel zone countries) in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland must quarantine in government-arranged accommodation with a parent, guardian, or another responsible adult.
- An unaccompanied minor who arrives in Queensland from overseas can travel from Queensland to another State or Territory to quarantine if allowed by the other state or territory.
Testing In Quarantine
Anyone who has been overseas in the last 14 days will take a COVID-19 test on:
- Arrived at their quarantine room, and on day 5 and on day 12 or 13 of their 14 days of quarantine in government-arranged accommodation.
The majority of recent COVID-19 cases in Queensland are overseas travelers.
Those who do not agree to take a COVID-19 test at any point when requested will have their stay in quarantine extended by an additional 14 days.
source: Quarantine and other Requirements for International Arrivals | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)
South Australia
All people planning to travel to South Australia from interstate and overseas, including returning South Australians, must apply through EntryCheck SA.
You can travel to South Australia from overseas if you have completed a course on a COVID-19 vaccine approved or recognized by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
You must have evidence of a negative COVID-19 test received 72 hours prior to arrival. On arrival to SA, you must:
- Quarantine for 7 days using the HealthCheck SA app
- Get a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in SA
- Get tested again on day 6 and day 14 after arrival
- Complete daily symptom checks for 14 days after arrival using HealthCheck SA
- Not enter a high-risk setting for 14 days after arrival
- Not attend a COVID Management Plan event for 14 days after arrival.
If you have been overseas in the last 7 days, you will be required to comply with the above entry conditions on arrival to South Australia. This applies if you enter South Australia from another state or territory.
If you have not completed a course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved or recognized by the TGA (i.e. had one dose of a 2 doses course), you will be classified as an unvaccinated traveler.
Western Australia
Pre Arrival
All international arrivals need to complete a G2G Pass declaration to enter WA. This must be completed and submitted prior to travel.
You should also download the G2G Now app before you travel. G2G Now is a mobile application that enables you to easily complete virtual quarantine check-ins when prompted.
Passengers traveling to Australia must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result at the time of check-in. The PCR test must have been taken 72 hours or less, prior to departure.
On Arrival
- You must complete 14 days of hotel quarantine upon arrival in WA at a government-approved facility at your own expense.
- You will be subject to mandatory COVID-19 tests on the following days:
- On the day following your arrival in WA
- On day 5 of quarantine
- On day 13 of quarantine
- On day 17 (after you have left quarantine)
- On day 21 (after you have left quarantine).
For an international traveler a 14 days quarantine is mandatory in order to travel interstate.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s border entry conditions depend on where each traveler has spent time prior to their day of arrival.
Traveling directly to Tasmania from overseas
- Travelers who have been overseas (other than low-risk areas in New Zealand, or approved Australian Antarctic Division travelers) or on a cruise ship in the 14 days prior to arriving in Tasmania, must quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Tasmania.
- Fully vaccinated and also have two COVID-19 tests while in quarantine – the first will occur within 48 hours of arrival, and the second will be on or soon after day 12 of quarantine.
- Travelers who have spent time overseas (other than low-risk areas in New Zealand) or on a cruise ship in the 14 days prior to arriving in Tasmania require pre-approval from the Deputy State Controller to enter Tasmania.
- The most effective way of seeking this pre-approval is to make a G2G PASS submission under ‘Category 8: Other persons, or classes of persons, approved by the Deputy State Controller.
