AUSTRALIA on Monday (22) announced its decision to ease stringent pandemic-related travel restrictions from December, a move which is expected to benefit thousands of Indian students who study Down Under and are waiting to return there after the pandemic disruption.
A statement from the Australian government said fully-vaccinated eligible visa holders, including students and skilled workers, can come to Australia from December 1 without requiring to apply for a travel exemption.
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It said the visitor(s) will have to be fully jabbed with a “completed dosage” of vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration and hold a valid visa for one of the eligible visa sub-classes, the Press Trust of India reported.
The travellers will also have to produce proof of their vaccination status and show a negative Covid-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test undertaken within three days of departing from Australia.
According to the statement, the travellers to Australia must comply with the quarantine requirements in the territory of their arrival.
“Australia continues to take further steps to safely reopen to the world, with additional changes to our international border arrangements coming into effect on 1 December,” the statement said.
It said the changes will ensure that it continues to protect the health of the local residents of Australia while reuniting families and securing its economic recovery by opening the border to skilled and student-visa holders.
“From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can come to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders,” it said.
According to the Australian government, the return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will cement the country’s economic recovery and back the education sector.
“Today’s announcement follows earlier changes which have seen us welcome home fully vaccinated Australians, permanent residents and their immediate family members since 1 November, and follows the commencement of the Singapore safe travel zone yesterday,” it said.
From Sunday (21), Singapore citizens who are considered fully vaccinated are able to travel to Australia without seeking a travel exemption and quarantine-free to participating states and territories, the Australian government said.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images