
The Countdown of International Borders Re-opening in Australia
Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced international borders would re-open in November in line with the National Plan.

Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced international borders would re-open in November in line with the National Plan.

Most people around the world have been impacted by Covid-19 in some way. They may have had the virus, have missed seeing family and friends due to lockdowns or have not been able to come home due to border closures. One group of people that has also been severely impacted by the ramifications of Covid-19 are international students.

Parliamentary Inquiry into temporary migration is a lost opportunity and mostly a waste of time and resources.

The establishment of the Australian Agriculture visa was recently announced. Its purpose is to respond to workforce shortages in the agriculture and primary industry sectors.

While Australia’s Migration Program is currently on hold, there are some instances where visas are being granted where travel exemptions apply. Regardless of the reasons for a visa to be granted, all travellers entering Australia or in some cases anyone travelling from a Covid-19 hotspot into another state will have to undergo 14 days quarantine. For interstate travellers, quarantine could be either in staying in one’s own apartment within limits or in a hotel. For international travellers they have only the option of a hotel at this point. The quality of the hotel room varies.

There are many things Australians and people around the world have missed out on since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of which is international travel. Qantas has announced it will re-commence international flights to select destinations from December 2021 for fully vaccinated travellers. Destinations will include countries that have high and increasing vaccination rates themselves.

When it comes to spousal visas, there are many factors that are considered in the application. The most crucial element is proof of an existing relationship. While marriage will help the spousal visa application, evidence to support the four pillars of relationship must be provided.

Depending on where you live in the world, being fully vaccinated can have different outcomes. For example, Canada will allow anyone who can prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter without the need for quarantine. At this point in Australia, regardless of your vaccination status, you are required to quarantine for 14 days.

International students are an important part of the Australian community. Since the beginning of the pandemic, international students have been unable to enter Australia to study or encouraged to return to their home country. When it comes to allowing international arrivals into Australia, international students are low on the priority list unless they fulfill certain criteria which will make them eligible for an individual travel exemption.