8 key points to consider before your trip to Australia

This month, Australia will reopen its borders to foreign tourists and visa holders after nearly two years of restrictions.

Starting February 21, 2022, fully vaccinated travelers can enter Australia with minimal restrictions, provided they show proof of vaccination.

Currently, Australia allows entry for citizens, permanent residents, their families, international students, backpackers, and migrant workers, all of whom must have received two doses of an approved vaccine. This policy will also apply to tourists, with exceptions for those who qualify for a medical exemption, which must be applied for if there are valid health reasons for not being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

During the pandemic, Australia enforced strict entry caps due to the high costs of hotel quarantine (even when travelers paid most of the expenses). However, these caps have been lifted as hotel quarantine for fully vaccinated arrivals has ended, with the exception of Western Australia, which we will cover later.

The COVID-19 situation in Australia has evolved significantly over the past six months due to the emergence of the omicron variant.

As a Europe-based Australian author, I'm thrilled to see Australia finally reopening after two years, but there are several important considerations to keep in mind before traveling there.

Currently, Australia is experiencing a high number of active COVID-19 cases.

Throughout much of the pandemic, Australia, along with countries like New Zealand and Singapore, was regarded as a gold standard in COVID-19 management.

Their stringent border policies, including compulsory hotel quarantine for all newcomers, kept community transmission remarkably low for extended periods. Some major cities experienced six months without a single new case outside of managed quarantine, and a single untracked case would trigger a citywide lockdown to restore numbers to zero.

The emergence of the omicron variant significantly altered this approach. As key states like Victoria and New South Wales—home to Melbourne and Sydney, respectively—eased restrictions following swift vaccination efforts against the delta variant, the omicron variant spread rapidly throughout the community.

Instead of reverting cities to lockdowns, most of Australia chose to "live with [COVID-19]." A month ago, the nation was recording over 100,000 new cases daily, resulting in a higher per capita infection rate than nearly anywhere else in the world, including the United Kingdom, for a population of just 25 million.

While the number of new daily cases has decreased over the past three weeks, tens of thousands of new cases are still being reported each day.

COVID-19 fatalities remain low in Australia, consistent with trends observed throughout the pandemic.

If you're considering a trip to Australia due to its previous success in managing the pandemic, be aware that it is no longer the COVID-19-free haven it was a year ago.

Western Australia has significantly different regulations.

Before exploring the rules and requirements for the rest of the country, it's important to highlight that Western Australia (with Perth as its capital) has maintained distinct regulations compared to the rest of Australia. While the other states have reopened, WA has remained either wisely or stubbornly closed off.

International travelers wishing to enter Western Australia must first obtain an entry permit and then:

• Complete 14 days of mandatory quarantine, which includes seven days in hotel accommodation followed by seven days of self-isolation at suitable premises, if eligible.
• If the traveler qualifies to exit hotel quarantine after seven days and moves to suitable premises, all other household members must also quarantine for the remainder of the traveler's isolation period.
• Travelers are required to submit PCR tests on days one, six, nine, and twelve while in quarantine.

Interstate visitors arriving in Western Australia must secure an entry permit, and then:

• Complete 14 days of self-isolation at suitable premises (seven days for health workers), with the same rules applying to household members at the self-isolation location.
• Provide a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival and again on Day 12 of self-isolation (Day 6 for health workers), with household members also required to test on the traveler's 12th day.

Without close family ties, work obligations, or medical needs in Western Australia, access is unlikely even if you agree to meet the testing and quarantine conditions upon entry.

Unvaccinated travelers must still apply for an entry exemption.

If you are not fully vaccinated with a recognized vaccine, you will need to apply for an entry permit from the Australian Government and will likely have to undergo a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine upon arrival. This will be at your own expense, with costs estimated at around $2,298 (£1,700) for a single adult.

Each state and territory in Australia sets its own entry requirements, so additional restrictions may be in place for unvaccinated visitors. For instance, the Northern Territory currently prohibits entry for all unvaccinated individuals, regardless of test results or quarantine status.

You will need to undergo several tests depending on your travel destinations.

Fully vaccinated travelers to Australia must present the following documentation:

• Proof of a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test or another Nucleic Acid Amplification Test conducted within three days prior to your scheduled departure to Australia (unless you qualify for an exemption).
• A medical certificate confirming a negative Rapid Antigen Test taken under medical supervision within 24 hours before your flight's scheduled departure to Australia.

Children younger than 4 years are exempt from this requirement.

If your flight experiences a delay, you will still be deemed to have fulfilled the pre-departure testing criteria, and you will not be required to take a new test.

Except for Western Australia, as mentioned earlier, depending on the Australian state or territory you arrive in, you will need to take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of your arrival and isolate until you receive a negative result. This test can be a lateral flow or antigen test, but be sure to verify the entry requirements for each state or territory, as they may vary.

Stay informed about transit requirements.

Be sure to check for any transit requirements set by connecting airlines or airports, as these may differ from Australia's entry rules.

If you have a lengthy layover, some countries may prohibit you from entering during your stop, even for a quick hotel stay. You might need to stay airside at the airport throughout your entire transit.

If your layover exceeds 12 hours and there is no airside hotel option, prepare for a long and uncomfortable wait at the gate or in an airport lounge.

As much as I appreciate some of the best airport lounges in the world, I certainly wouldn't want to spend 24 hours in one.

You will still need to undergo a brief quarantine upon entry.

Although fully vaccinated travelers are no longer required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine, you still need to obtain a test within 24 hours of your arrival and isolate until you receive a negative result (excluding Western Australia). Since a lateral flow test can be used for this and results can come in as quickly as 15 minutes, your quarantine upon arrival could be quite brief.

Lateral flow tests are not provided for free to tourists in Australia. If you cannot access or take a lateral flow test, you must undergo a PCR test, which can take several hours or even days to process.

Entry and testing requirements are subject to frequent changes.

While the situation is more stable now than it was before Christmas, entry regulations (including testing protocols) are regularly updated in Australia. You can visit the federal government’s website for links to the individual rules of each state and territory.

With case numbers declining and testing requirements easing, we hope the rules will not change as rapidly as they did during the holiday season, when states shifted from PCR to lateral flow tests due to the overwhelming volume of PCR tests needed to meet extensive travel testing requirements.

Be sure to regularly check the entry requirements leading up to your travel date to Australia, as these can and do change frequently.

Masks and vaccination certificates are now quite common.

With thousands of active cases currently throughout the country, you should anticipate needing to present your vaccination pass to be seated at indoor dining venues and to attend major sporting events. Additionally, wearing a mask is likely to be expected.

For much of the pandemic, masks were not widely used in Australia due to the low number of community cases. Similar to the United States, each Australian state and territory can establish its own social distancing guidelines; however, most now require masks and vaccination certificates in crowded public spaces because of the high number of active cases in the community.

You may also need to 'check in' at venues using contact tracing apps, which vary by state and territory. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any requirements before your arrival and download the necessary apps.

Access to aged care facilities may be limited.

In summary

The COVID-19 situation in Australia is continually changing. The country has experienced significant shifts—six months ago, some states had not reported any community transmissions for months, and apart from closed borders, it seemed as though the pandemic was non-existent. (Melbourne was the notable exception, becoming the most locked-down city globally.)

The arrival of the omicron variant marked a significant transition, with most of the country—except for Western Australia—shifting from a zero-COVID approach to 'living with the virus.' This change resulted in record-high new cases during the Christmas and New Year period.

The reopening to foreign tourists for the first time in two years starting February 21 represents another step towards the new strategy of 'living with COVID-19.' If you're searching for a destination free of coronavirus, Australia will not meet that expectation.

You should anticipate strict testing requirements for travel, although quarantine upon arrival has been significantly reduced in most states and territories. Compared to a month ago, the situation is relatively stable, but it's wise to check entry and testing requirements regularly before your trip, as they can change frequently.