Australia will reopen its borders to quarantine-free travel to all fully vaccinated visa holders, business travelers, and other visitors on February 21, 2022.
The Australian Government made the announcement on February 7, 2022. It is part of the country’s planned re-opening of international travel and builds on quarantine-free travel arrangements with Singapore, which came into effect on November 21, 2021, and for visitors from Japan and South Korea along with Working Holiday Makers from December 15, 2021.
The announcement also made it clear that visa holders who are not fully vaccinated will still require a valid travel exemption to enter the country, and will be subject to state and territory quarantine requirements.
The reopening is good news for Canadians.
“The announcement today enabling fully vaccinated travelers from Canada to Australia quarantine-free from February 21 is a significant step in rebuilding international visitation from Australia’s international tourism markets across the globe,” said Phillipa Harrison, managing director, Tourism Australia.
“Australia has long been a popular outbound destination for Canadian travelers, with 190,000 visitors traveling to our country in 2019 pre-COVID, and we are really excited that we will have the opportunity to welcome back visitors from Canada, one of our key international markets, as travel resumes.
“Throughout the pandemic, Tourism Australia has maintained an active presence to keep Australia top of mind in the market. Now, with the reopening of travel from Canada to Australia, Tourism Australia will be working with its trade and distribution partners on dedicated marketing campaigns to urge travelers to come and enjoy all the incredible tourism experiences that await them in Australia.”
Traveling to Australia
From February 21, 2022, visa holders who are fully vaccinated with two doses of a Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) approved COVID-19 vaccine can travel to Australia quarantine-free, without the need to apply for a travel exemption.
To be eligible to enter the country, international travelers must:
- hold a valid Australian visa.
- be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and provide proof of vaccination status.
- present a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) or Polymerasae chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours of departure (unless a medical exemption applies).
In addition, as of February 7, 2022, fully-vaccinated visa holders can enter all states and territories quarantine-free from February 21, 2022, except for Western Australia. Travelers will need to comply with requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territory that they plan to travel to. Information on entry requirements is updated regularly so it is important to check the latest requirements before traveling. Travelers are also encouraged to check any requirements for stopover destinations that they are transitioning through.
For requirements to travel into specific states and territories, visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website | State and Territory Information.
For more information on traveling to Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs | Travelling to Australia.