After 20 months of Australia’s international border being closed to Australian temporary visa holders, the Federal Government has announced that borders are soon to be open to eligible travellers.
Recent concerns raised by the newly discovered Omicron variant of the covid-19 virus have only delayed the Australian Government’s plans to reopen the international border, however, the plan will still go ahead as of 15 December 2021.
Visa holders across the world have expressed frustration with the delays to the border reopening citing the emotional distress and hardship they have experienced from interruptions to their plans to study, work and reunite with family in Australia.
Currently, the plan is to open the borders to fully vaccinated travellers who hold certain temporary visas from countries deemed as ‘international safe travel zones’. These eligible visa holders will not need a travel exemption and will not be required to quarantine in selected Australian states and territories. However, there are various requirements travellers must adhere to prior to arriving in Australia.
The following visa holders may be eligible to enter Australia from 15 December 2021:
| Subclass 163 – State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner Visa |
| Subclass 173 – Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 200 – Refugee visa |
| Subclass 201 – In-country Special Humanitarian visa |
| Subclass 202 – Global Special Humanitarian visa |
| Subclass 203 – Emergency Rescue visa |
| Subclass 204 – Woman at Risk visa |
| Subclass 300 – Prospective Marriage visa |
| Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa |
| Subclass 402 – Training and Research visa |
| Subclass 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (other streams, including Australian Agriculture Visa stream) |
| Subclass 405 – Investor Retirement visa |
| Subclass 407 – Training visa |
| Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity visa |
| Subclass 410 – Retirement visa |
| Subclass 417 – Working Holiday visa |
| Subclass 449 – Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) visa |
| Subclass 461 – New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa |
| Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday visa |
| Subclass 476 – Skilled – Recognised Graduate visa |
| Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa |
| Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate visa |
| Subclass 487 – Skilled – Regional Sponsored visa |
| Subclass 489 – Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa |
| Subclass 500 – Student visa |
| Subclass 560 – Student Temporary Visa |
| Subclass 571 – Student Schools Sector Visa |
| Subclass 572 – Vocational Education and Training Sector Visa |
| Subclass 573 – Higher Education Sector Visa |
| Subclass 574 – Postgraduate Research Sector Visa |
| Subclass 575 – Non-Award Sector Visa |
| Subclass 580 – Student Guardian visa |
| Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa |
| Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa |
| Subclass 786 – Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa |
| Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa |
| Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 884 – Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa |
If you do not hold a temporary visa or are not from an ‘international safe travel zone’, there may be individual travel exemptions available to you.
If you would like to discuss your visa situation with an experienced lawyer, please contact us for more information.
