Australian borders have been closed since early 2020 but with vaccination rates growing, Australia is getting ready to open up and the below sums up the current update at Federal and state level for international students..

Federal level

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the international border will reopen in November once the vaccination rates reach 80 per cent vaccination rates. This will likely start with New South Wales followed by Victoria and then other states.

It is anticipated that for returning Australians and permanent residents the following measures will apply:

·       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.

International students are included in next phase of the roadmap with arrival dates likely in early 2022. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has advised that the Chinese-made Sinovac and the Indian-made Covishield vaccines would be considered “recognised vaccines” when determining whether an incoming international traveller has been appropriately vaccinated.

The recognition of those vaccines will remove a significant barrier for international students seeking to study in Australia.

New South Wales:

Under the previously announced NSW International Student Arrivals Pilot Plan, 250 international students studying with NSW education providers will be allowed to return each fortnight from early December 2021.

Victoria

International students are expected to start returning to Victoria by the end of 2021 under the Victorian Government’s International Student Arrivals Plan, which has been submitted to the Commonwealth for approval. Under the first stage of the plan, 120 places will be available each week. These places will be prioritised for university students who urgently need to return to Victoria to do practical work, including health and medical students, and postgraduate research students.

South Australia

South Australian reopening roadmap includes borders opening up to all fully vaccinated domestic and international arrivals once 90 per cent of South Australian residents (aged 12+) have received both doses of the vaccine.

Hundreds of international students are set to return to South Australia and start quarantining at Parafield Airport by the first week of December.

Queensland

The Queensland government has announced it will start welcoming international students starting in January 2022, just in time for the first semester of the new academic year.

Under the plan, 250 international students will arrive every fortnight. Arriving students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and priority will be given to those studying medical research and allied health.

Students will have to quarantine at the Wellcamp quarantine hub near Toowoomba.

Australian Capital Territory:

The state will welcome vaccinated international students from the start of the next academic year in 2022. Students who have received a vaccine recognised in Australia will not be required to quarantine upon arrival in the ACT before starting their studies.

Tasmania

The state is expected to reopen its borders on December 15, 2021, to interstate and international travellers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Both interstate and international arrivals will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of travelling.