Australia's international borders will finally open in November, prime minister Scott Morrison has announced.
States will only be permitted to allow international travellers if 80 per cent of residents have been fully vaccinated. However, a trial of a new at-home quarantine model will need to take place first, which means that in NSW, which will be the first state in Australia to reach the 80 per cent target, borders will remain closed for several more weeks. NSW is expected to hit its 80 per cent fully vaccinated target by October 16.
Expats, those with family overseas and just those with itchy feet will be thrilled to learn they can travel overseas and return to Australia from November. Morrison also announced returning Australians who had been fully vaccinated would be able to quarantine from home, rather than undergo the costly process of hotel quarantine. Those who have not been vaccinated at all or who have received a vaccine that has not been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Association will still have to enter 14-day managed quarantine. The TGA has now recognised the Sinovac vaccine, developed in China, which should make it much easier for travellers from Asian nations to come to Australia. Children and those with legitimate medical exemptions will be treated as vaccinated and will be permitted to quarantine at home.
There will be caps on the number of unvaccinated Australians who can return, due to limits on hotel quarantine spots. But there will be no caps on the number of fully vaccinated people who can enter the country, as they will be permitted to quarantine at home upon their return.
"It's time to give Australians their lives back," said Morrison.
It's expected NSW and South Australia will be the first states to welcome back returned travellers, with Victoria yet to announce when it would permit international visitors.
Australia is also working towards a quarantine-free travel bubble with certain countries, like New Zealand, although those details have not been worked out yet.