The government of Australia announced an easing of border restrictions.

Complete details remain undefined, but we did a Q&A with our team based in Sydney to learn the latest information.

Who is Impacted:

New rules pertain to local resident nationals, more information is pending on impacts to travellers and relocating professionals however currently the international borders remain closed to most non-citizen/residents. Domestic state borders remain closed for travellers from Victoria, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.

What Locations are Included:

Pertains to all states in Australia but nuances exist between states. The date being looked at for the reopening of international borders under a home quarantine model is November 1 and further details are still pending from the national government. Australia’s international borders could re-open for vaccinated travellers in NSW as early as November 1 under a fast-tracked plan – however this is unconfirmed at this stage.

Vaccination Requirements:

This is not yet confirmed by the government – currently Astra Zenica Vaxzevria, Pfizer Comirnaty, Moderna Spikevax or Janssen-Cilag (Johnson & Johnson) are the only vaccines recognised by the Australian government.

Impact on Pre-Arrival and Arrival Protocols:

Unknown at this point.

Impact on Quarantine Requirements:

The move away from 14 days of hotel quarantine for vaccinated travellers is regarded as a crucial step before international travel can start ramping up to pre-pandemic levels. Further details to be announced, these measures are planned to start from Nov 1 with more details pending. Border closures that have remained in place since March, 2020 will be lifted but it was up to individual states whether they will scrap caps on international arrivals and allow home quarantine.

Critical Dates:

Possibly 1 November 2021 onwards for entry into New South Wales.

Other Important Notes:

Regional differences and requirements are expected, but again, there are no official details yet.