On Friday, October 1, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced plans for the country to safely reopen to the rest of the world.
Earlier this summer, the Morrison government set vaccination-rate benchmarks for the gradual release of restrictions. At the start of October, first-dose vaccination rates were 78%.
Under Phase C of the National Plan, international travel will resume for fully vaccinated Australian travelers. It is expected that this shift will begin in November.
What to Expect
- It is expected that permitted fully vaccinated travelers will have to complete a 7-day home quarantine, and unvaccinated travelers or travelers who are vaccinated with a vaccine that is not recognized by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) will have to complete a 14-day managed quarantine.
- Australian citizens and permanent residents who cannot be vaccinated – for example, if they are under 12 or have a medical condition – will be treated as vaccinated for the purposes of their travel.
- States and territories will begin this program at different times given their varying vaccination rates but we expect the system to commence in November.
Following the change expected in November, the current overseas travel restrictions related to COVID-19 will be removed.
Erickson Insights
Given the dynamic nature of the Australian State and Federal Governments’ response to COVID-19, Erickson Immigration Group will continue to share updates as more news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting or case-specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.
MARN: 0101248