Eligible visa holders no longer need travel exemptions to enter Australia
Eligible visa holders no longer need travel exemptions to enter Australia
Australia continues to take further steps to safely reopen to the world, allowing fully vaccinated eligible visa holders to travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption from 1 December 2021. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders.
The return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will further cement Australia’s economic recovery, providing the valuable workers the economy needs and supporting Australia’s important education sector.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
- Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
- Hold a valid visa for one of the eligible visa subclasses
- Provide proof of their vaccination status
- Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure.
Eligible visa holders are people who hold the following visas:
| 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 403 – Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (including Australian Agriculture Visa stream) |
| Subclass 407 – Training visa |
| Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity 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 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 580 – Student Guardian visa (closed to new applicants) |
| Subclass 590 – Student Guardian visa |
| Subclass 785 – Temporary Protection visa |
| Subclass 790 – Safe Haven Enterprise visa |
| Subclass 870 – Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa |
| Subclass 988 – Maritime Crew visa |
Citizens of Japan and Republic of Korea
From 1 December 2021, Australia will also welcome back fully vaccinated citizens from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Under these arrangements, citizens of Japan and the Republic of Korea who hold a valid Australian visa will be able to travel from their home country quarantine-free to participating states and territories, without needing to seek a travel exemption.
Under these arrangements, travellers must:
- Depart from their home country
- Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by the TGA
- Hold a valid Australian visa
- Provide proof of their vaccination status
- Present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days of departure
Visa applications
For all visa application enquiries please contact us at and one of our experienced agents will get back to you.
