It has been almost two years since my Government took the decision to close the borders to Australia and this week I was very pleased to announce that Australia’s borders will reopen to all remaining visa holders on the 21 February this year.
We have progressively opened our borders since November last year and this has seen the successful return of almost 580,000 arrivals including international students and economic migrants to Australia.
As the Chinese Australian community enjoys the first days of the new Lunar Year, reunions with family and loved ones that have been unable to take place until now are in sight.
The further reopening of our international border is being done safely, ensuring we protect the health of Australians, while we continue to secure our economic recovery.
Visa holders who have received two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine are considered fully vaccinated under Australia’s international border settings.
Visa holders who have not received two doses of an approved vaccine will still require a valid travel exemption to enter Australia, and will be subject to state and territory quarantine requirements.
While the majority of States no longer have a quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated international travellers, the duration and location of quarantine remains a matter for each state and territory.
Travellers should understand the requirements in the state or territory they are flying into.
Australia’s health system has demonstrated its resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including though the recent Omicron wave. With improving health conditions, including a recent one third per cent decline in hospitalisations due to COVID, Australia is ready to further progress the staged reopening of our international border.
The border reopening will give certainty to our vital tourism industry, and allow them to start planning, hiring and preparing for our reopening. In 2018-19, tourism generated more than $60 billion for the Australian economy, with more than 660,000 jobs dependent on the industry.
Our economy continues to perform incredibly well in the face of the pandemic, and our management of the pandemic has seen us have one of the lowest fatality rates from COVID anywhere in the world.
As we come through the Omicron wave, our unemployment rate has fallen to 4.2% and most states have come through the peak of the wave and the pressure if coming off our hospitals. With the booster vaccination program in place, we are in strong position to secure our economic recovery.
I was pleased to visit Burwood in Sydney last week to celebrate Chinese New Year and see so many families out enjoying time together. There have been so many times during the pandemic when families could not gather to mark special occasions. I hope that the Year of the Tiger brings many more happy occasions for family and friends to reunite again.
Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister
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