Leslie Massey
Australia has had some of the world's strictest COVID-19 travel restrictions, banning its citizens from leaving the country for non-essential reasons. However, in November 2021, Australia lifted its 18-month pandemic ban for vaccinated citizens, allowing them to travel overseas. This came after Australia achieved an 80% vaccination rate for its population aged 16 and older. While vaccinated Australians can now leave the country, no date has been set for welcoming international tourists, and the Australian government has not provided an official date for the resumption of international travel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of lifting the ban | November 2021 |
| Conditions | Vaccinated citizens |
| International tourists | No date set |
| Vaccine passport | Yes |
| Quarantine | 7 days at home for vaccinated citizens, 14 days in a hotel for unvaccinated citizens |
| Exemptions | Government employees, essential workers |
| COVID-19 tests | PCR test 72 hours before departure |
| Face masks | Mandatory on international flights and in airports |
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What You'll Learn
- Australia's vaccinated citizens allowed to travel overseas from November 2021
- No date set for welcoming international tourists back
- Australian borders closed and entry strictly controlled to combat Covid-19
- Exemptions for essential workers and government employees
- International flights to resume from Sydney
Australia's vaccinated citizens allowed to travel overseas from November 2021
Australia has had some of the world's strictest travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country closed its borders to foreigners on March 20, 2020, and banned its own citizens from leaving the country unless they had a valid exemption.
However, from November 1, 2021, fully vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents were allowed to leave the country freely without needing an exemption. This was the first stage in Australia's reopening to the world, with the government stating that the country would begin to welcome international tourists at an unspecified later date.
To be considered fully vaccinated, Australians must have received a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)-approved or recognised vaccine, with the second dose occurring at least seven days prior to travel. Australians who have not been vaccinated still need to apply to the Department of Home Affairs for permission to leave the country and face stricter quarantine protocols on their return.
The lifting of the outbound travel ban came after Australia introduced a cap on the number of citizens and permanent residents allowed to return to the country each week, leaving 45,000 people stranded overseas. The cap aimed to reduce pressure on hotel quarantine facilities, which had become harder to manage due to the more contagious Delta variant. Under the new regime, only unvaccinated individuals are subject to the cap, while fully vaccinated Australians can quarantine at home for just one week.
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No date set for welcoming international tourists back
Australia has announced plans to lift its COVID-19 pandemic travel ban for vaccinated citizens travelling overseas from November 2021. However, no official date has been set for welcoming international tourists back into the country. The Australian government has stated that the border restrictions will be lifted when 80% of the population aged 16 and older are fully vaccinated. As of September 2021, only 40% of Australia's adult population was fully vaccinated.
The Australian government has imposed some of the toughest travel restrictions in the world, with most citizens having to argue for rare exemptions from the travel ban to leave the country. Exemptions have been granted for essential workers, government employees, and those with essential reasons, who must obtain permission from the Department of Home Affairs. Tourism has never been accepted as a valid reason to cross the border.
The introduction of a vaccine passport system is expected to facilitate the reopening of borders to international travel. The federal government is working to enable a person's vaccination status to be linked to their passport chips, and a plan to introduce a vaccine certificate for travel via QR code is also underway.
The Australian Tourism Export Council, which represents a sector that made 45 billion Australian dollars a year from international tourists before the pandemic, has stated that the end of the travel ban paves the way for visitors from around the world to return by March. The council's managing director, Peter Shelley, said that the decision "marks a shift in thinking within both the government and community sentiment to reengaging with the world."
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Australian borders closed and entry strictly controlled to combat Covid-19
Australia has had some of the world's toughest travel restrictions, with Australian citizens banned from leaving the country since March 2020 unless granted special exemptions. Only citizens, permanent residents, and those with essential reasons have been allowed to enter the country under strict COVID-19 border rules.
The Australian government introduced these measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect its citizens from deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 strains. In May 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the country's borders would remain closed indefinitely, with no plans to abandon the "zero cases" target. The government aimed to vaccinate 80% of the population aged 16 and older before lifting travel restrictions.
To facilitate the return of stranded citizens, the government organized repatriation flights from India. Additionally, a two-way travel bubble with New Zealand was established in April 2021, allowing Australians to travel there without restrictions.
In October 2021, Australia announced plans to lift the pandemic ban on vaccinated citizens traveling overseas from November. However, no date was set for welcoming international tourists back, and travel restrictions for unvaccinated Australians remained in place. The Australian Tourism Export Council anticipated that international visitors would be allowed to enter Australia by March, paving the way for the return of tourism.
As of June 2024, there is still no official date for the lifting of Australia's international travel ban. However, it is expected that the ban will be lifted by mid-2025, allowing international visitors to enter the country.
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Exemptions for essential workers and government employees
Exemptions to the Australian travel ban are available for essential workers and government employees. Essential workers include those in the airline and maritime industries, outbound freight workers, and workers at offshore facilities. In addition, visa applicants who are ordinarily residents in a country other than Australia are exempt from travel restrictions.
Diplomats accredited to Australia, including their immediate family members, are also exempt from the travel ban. This includes members of the Australian Defence Force and any Australian government officials travelling on diplomatic or official passports.
Foreign nationals may be granted exemptions if they are travelling at the invitation of the Australian government or a state/territory government authority to assist in the COVID-19 response. Those providing critical or specialist medical services, as well as foreign nationals with critical skills or working in critical sectors in Australia, may also be granted exemptions.
Government employees are exempt from the Australian travel ban. This includes Australian government officials travelling on diplomatic or official passports, as well as visa applicants travelling on official government business.
It is important to note that tourism is never accepted as a reason to cross the Australian border. Those seeking to enter or exit Australia must demonstrate an essential reason for their travel and obtain permission from the Department of Home Affairs.
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International flights to resume from Sydney
Australia has had some of the world's toughest travel restrictions, banning its citizens from leaving the country unless they have an essential reason. In 2021, the Australian government announced plans to lift the ban on vaccinated citizens travelling overseas from November, but no date was set for welcoming international tourists back.
The Australian government has stated that border restrictions will not apply to the following groups:
- People who have been in New Zealand for 14 days or more prior to travel by air.
- Holders of Refugee and Humanitarian – Class XB – visas (if they’ve already entered Australia).
All passengers on international flights to Australia must undergo a COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours or less before their scheduled flight departure and show evidence of a negative result at check-in. Passengers and crew must also wear face masks during the flight and while in Australian airports.
As of May 2025, Jetstar, a subsidiary of the Qantas Group, has announced its intention to cease its direct service between Sydney and Honolulu by the end of October 2024. This comes after the airline also shelved its Melbourne to Honolulu service, which was suspended in April of that year. Qantas will increase its services from Sydney to Honolulu from five times a week to six.
In December 2024, Qatar Airways resumed daily international flights out of Canberra via Melbourne, in partnership with Virgin Australia. This has opened up travel to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has outlined plans to lift its pandemic ban on vaccinated citizens travelling overseas from November 2021. However, no date has yet been set for welcoming international tourists back.
Australia's international borders are closed, and entry to Australia remains strictly controlled to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The Australian travel ban does not apply to people who have been in New Zealand for 14 days or more prior to travel, holders of Refugee and Humanitarian visas, government employees, and essential workers.
Smartraveller.gov.au is Australia's Government website where you can find up-to-date information about the travel ban, including advice, restrictions, and quarantine policies.
