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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian citizens and permanent residents faced restrictions on leaving the country, with some needing to obtain rarely given exemption notices. While there was no constitutional right to leave, the Australian Border Force released directives to clarify how departure exemptions were granted. The data suggests that around 65% of exemption requests were approved or deemed unnecessary. From November 2021, fully vaccinated Australians no longer needed an exemption to leave, although only a handful of countries were on Australia's fly list.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can leave Australia? | People who don't need permission to leave Australia include those who usually live overseas, aircraft crew or maintenance staff, freight workers, those with essential work in Australian waters, those travelling on official government business, and those travelling directly to New Zealand. |
| Who needs permission to leave Australia? | Australian citizens and permanent residents. |
| Who is exempt from needing permission? | Those who have "essential work at an offshore facility in Australian waters", those travelling on official government business, and those travelling directly to New Zealand. |
| How to get permission to leave Australia? | Permission is granted for a compelling reason for at least three months. Reasons include employment, study, or compassionate reasons. |
| What is the process for getting permission? | Applications are assessed by the Australian Border Force and applicants are advised to apply at least two weeks but not more than three months before departure. |
| What happens if I need to leave urgently? | If you are travelling due to the death or critical illness of a close family member, your application will be prioritised. |
| What countries can Australians travel to? | Only a handful of countries are on the Australian fly list, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Greece, Germany, South Africa, and the United States of America. |
| What are the requirements for leaving the country? | A requirement to leave the country is to have an international vaccination certificate. |
| What are the quarantine requirements for returning to Australia? | Currently, all states require travellers to quarantine for two weeks at a government-sanctioned hotel at a cost of over $2000 AUD, paid by the traveller. Queensland is the first state experimenting with at-home quarantining. |
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What You'll Learn
Australians need permission to leave the country
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia implemented strict border restrictions, including a ban on Australian citizens and permanent residents leaving the country. This measure was put in place by Health Minister Greg Hunt on March 25, 2020, as an "emergency requirement" under the Biosecurity Act. While some groups were exempt from this ban, the majority of Australian citizens required permission to leave the country.
The Australian government expanded this ban to include Australian citizens who were ordinarily residents in another country. This meant that even individuals living overseas might not be allowed to leave Australia. To depart, they would need to apply for an exemption and provide relevant identification and evidence of their residency overseas.
The exemption system was based on health advice and aimed to balance allowing essential travel while protecting the community from COVID-19 transmission. However, critics argued that the ban on outward travel for citizens could be unconstitutional and unfairly impact Australians from multicultural backgrounds.
To obtain an exemption, travellers needed a “compelling reason” for leaving Australia, and their travel had to fall into specific categories. These categories included employment, study, compassionate reasons, and responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite these exemptions, only about one in three requests to leave the country were granted during the early stages of the pandemic.
As vaccination rates increased in Australia, the government began easing travel restrictions. Starting in November 2021, fully vaccinated Australians no longer needed to seek an exemption to leave the country. However, international travel remained limited to a handful of countries on Australia's approved fly list.
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Exemptions are required for overseas travel
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia implemented a ban on citizens and permanent residents leaving the country. This prohibition remained in effect even as vaccines became widely available. As a result, Australians needed exemptions to travel overseas.
Some people, however, did not require permission to leave Australia. These included individuals who usually live in another country, aircraft crew, freight workers, those with essential work at offshore facilities, those travelling on official government business, and those travelling directly to New Zealand.
For those who needed an exemption, there were several categories of exemption that could be applied for. Firstly, exemptions could be granted for overseas workers with specialist skills and expertise, particularly in critical sectors such as medical, engineering, mining, oil, and gas industries. Secondly, exemptions were available for those with a compelling or compassionate reason to travel. For example, an exemption was granted to someone who owned a business in the US and needed to return for urgent and unavoidable personal business. Thirdly, exemptions were granted for those travelling as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the provision of aid.
The process for obtaining an exemption was not always clear or straightforward. The Australian Border Force released an operational directive to clarify how departure exemptions were granted, but data suggests that decision-making was not as systematic or objective as desired. Much depended on who the decision-maker was and how they chose to exercise their discretion. There was also no opportunity for appeal or independent review of decisions.
As vaccination rates increased, the Australian government announced that from November, fully vaccinated Australians would no longer need to seek an exemption to leave the country.
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Permission is not needed for some workers
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia implemented a ban on Australian citizens and permanent residents leaving the country. This ban was put in place by Health Minister Greg Hunt on March 25, 2020, as an "emergency requirement" under the Biosecurity Act. The Australian government argued that the ban was necessary due to the burden returning residents placed on quarantine arrangements, the health system, and testing regimes.
However, it is important to note that some people did not require permission to leave Australia. These individuals included those who usually live overseas, aircraft crew or maintenance staff, freight workers, those with essential work at an offshore facility in Australian waters, those travelling on official government business, and those travelling directly to New Zealand.
For those who required permission to leave, exemptions could be granted for various reasons. These included employment, study, or compassionate reasons, such as the death or critical illness of a close family member. The rate at which exemptions were granted varied, with some sources indicating that about one in three requests were granted, while others stated that approximately 65% of requests were either approved or deemed not to require an exemption.
As vaccination rates increased in Australia, the restrictions on leaving the country began to relax. By November 2021, fully vaccinated Australians no longer needed to seek an exemption to leave, although international travel was still limited to a handful of countries. The Australian government anticipated that international tourism would resume in the first half of 2022.
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Vaccinated Australians can leave without exemption
Australia has had some of the world's tightest border controls during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a general ban on its citizens and permanent residents leaving the country. However, as of November 1, 2021, fully vaccinated Australians can leave the country without an exemption.
Before November 2021, Australians had not been able to leave their shores without obtaining rarely given exemption notices. The exemption process was criticised for lacking transparency and consistency, with much depending on the decision-maker in Home Affairs or the Australian Border Force.
The change in policy came as vaccination rates in the country rose, with the government looking to welcome skilled workers and international students back by the end of 2021. Australians will need to prove they are fully vaccinated with an approved or recognised vaccine. The second dose will need to have been administered at least one week before travel. An International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate is required to travel overseas.
While vaccinated Australians no longer need an exemption to leave the country, there are still a limited number of countries on Australia's fly list, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Greece, Germany, South Africa, and the United States of America.
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Australians can leave, but few countries are on the 'fly list'
Australia has had some of the world's strictest travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a ban on Australian citizens and permanent residents leaving the country. However, this ban has not been absolute, with citizens able to apply for exemptions to travel overseas.
From November 2021, fully vaccinated Australians will no longer need to seek an exemption to leave the country. However, international travel will still be limited, with only a handful of countries on Australia's fly list, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Greece, Germany, South Africa, and the United States of America.
The process of obtaining an exemption to leave Australia has been described as difficult and time-consuming, with approval rates varying depending on the destination country. The Australian Border Force has released operational directives to clarify how departure exemptions are granted, but data suggests that decision-making has been inconsistent and lacking in transparency.
While the Australian government has justified the exit ban as necessary to protect community health and manage the burden on the country's quarantine system, critics have argued that it could be unconstitutional and unfairly impacts Australians from multicultural backgrounds.
As Australia moves towards reopening its borders, the focus shifts to managing the influx of international travellers and ensuring safe entry procedures.
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Frequently asked questions
Australians are allowed to leave the country, but they need to be fully vaccinated and have an international vaccination certificate.
Yes, Australians need permission from the government to leave the country. This permission is called an exemption and can be granted for employment, study, or compassionate reasons.
To get an exemption, Australians must have a "compelling reason" for leaving and their travel must fall into specific categories, including employment, study, and compassionate reasons. They must also provide ID and other relevant documents.
The approval rates for exemption requests vary depending on the destination country. For example, the approval rate for the UK was 68%, while the approval rate for India was only 46%. Overall, about one in three requests to leave the country have been granted.
People who usually live overseas, aircraft crew, freight workers, those with essential work at an offshore facility, those travelling on official government business, and those travelling directly to New Zealand are exempt from needing an exemption.
