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Australia to reopen to fully vaccinated travellers
SBS Filipino
07/02/202208:09
International tourists are set to be welcomed back to Australia from Monday February 21st.
Federal Cabinet's national security committee met [[07 FEB]] to decide when international travel could resume, after nearly two years of border closures.
Highlights
- Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says the national COVID figures are now steadily decreasing, but aged care remains an industry under pressure.
- PM Morrison has confirmed the deployment of up to 1,700 Australian Defence Force personnel to assist in aged care facilities
- Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has made an announcement regarding tax-deductible RAT tests in a bid to remove any uncertainty around tax treatments of these tests.
Since the reopening of international borders in late 2021, only fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and their families, along with skilled workers, international students and backpackers have been allowed to enter the country.
For those who are not vaccinated, they will have to provide proof that there is a medical reason that they cannot be so.
State-based quarantine requirements will continue at the discretion of state and territory governments.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says this will now extend to almost any international traveller, under one important condition.
"You must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That's the rule, everyone is expected to abide by it, and it's very important that people understand that requirement if they're seeking to come to Australia. But if you're double vaccinated we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia and I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that. And over the next two weeks they will have the opportunity both for visitors to be coming and for them to be gearing up to welcome international visitors back to Australia."
