Most would assume it’s impossible to travel overseas and return to Australia while international borders are ‘closed’ during the pandemic without an exceptional reason.
But some of the reasons people are allowed into Australia seem anything but exceptional.
Zac Efron’s brother was given the green light to enter the country to work on a TV show, while a groom-to-be was allowed to travel to India for his wedding – before returning to Australia with Covid.
And that’s just the beginning.
Dylan Efron (left) was granted an exemption to fly into Australia after the NSW government estimated he would pump $2million into the film industry. He is pictured with his Hollywood star brother, Zac Efron
A Perth man went to India on December 12 for his wedding and returned to Perth with his new bride on April 10 before he tested positive while in quarantine (stock image)
Thousands of people have travelled overseas and arrived in Australia in the past year – government officials, people on business, Australian Open tennis players – just to name a few.
While the borders are still ‘closed’, since the Trans-Tasman travel bubble commenced on April 19 they are more ‘open’ now than they have been since last March.
New Zealand is the only nation in the so-called ‘green zone’, which means it is low risk.
But people can travel to and from other countries that are not low-risk – if they receive exemptions.
These are not automatic exemptions – they have to be granted by the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force.
The borders remain closed – but there are plenty of circumstances that allow for travel, some very surprising
The most surprising type of travel ban exemption is for Australians travelling for three months or longer.
If you want to leave Australia to travel on a return ticket, you may be able to go if your travel is for more than three months – if you have a ‘compelling reason’.
Exactly what that means isn’t spelled out in government guidelines, but the evidence required to back up your reason is not is especially exceptional.
Studying overseas is noted as acceptable evidence, as is travelling to provide care for a sick family member.
But government guidelines also state a confirmed itinerary and/or a note confirming you have three months off work are accepted as evidence.
Being in a job that is categorised ‘critical skills and sectors’ or noted in the Priority Migration program makes someone a candidate for a travel exemption too.
David Warner (right) Steve Smith and Pat Cummins are among several of Australia’s biggest cricket stars stranded in India. Warner is pictured with New Zealand star Kane Williamson on a previous flight
CEOs and Managing Directors can also be exempt because they are considered priority skilled migration occupations.
That list includes occupations that seem obvious given the health crisis – like registered nurses, GPs and psychiatrists.
Some are less obvious, such as software engineers and developers, social workers, and construction project managers.
Midwives, mechanical engineers and developer programmers are also included.
Non-citizens may be able to come and go from Australia if they are assessed as being in ‘critical skills and sectors’.
Someone ‘required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services’ working in engineering, mining, telecommunications, food production, aged care or agriculture could apply to travel.
The agriculture workers include fruit pickers – as millions of dollars worth of produce has gone unpicked and spoiled because of a lack of backpacker labour.
Australia’s Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva. CEOs and Managing directors are among the occupations who can apply for exemptions from the Covid travel ban
Fruitpickers are among people who can apply for exemptions on the travel ban on the basis of skills shortages
A non-citizen also might receive an exemption to travel here if they are ‘delivering services in sectors critical to Australia’s economic recovery’, which might include people in finance, film, television, media, manufacturing and new technologies.
Having critical skills in a ‘religious or theology fields’ might also allow you to travel here.
Cruise ships are banned from entering Australia, but the rules appear looser for other ships.
The restrictions on passengers on yachts and pleasure craft sailing in Australia waters are not clear – beyond that they ‘must be aware of their obligations to keep Australia safe from COVID-19’.
The main obligation seems to be a negative Covid test, taken 72 hours or less before departure.
But you can be exempt from needing a Covid test prior to departure if you are coming from a country where testing ‘is not reasonably available’, from New Zealand or from a ‘green zone’ – a low-risk country.
Exemptions from pre-departure testing on the grounds that testing isn’t available are determined by Australia’s Director of Human Biosecurity.
Several countries are thought to have no active testing program in place – including Lesotho, which has no reported cases but is surrounded by positive cases.
Countries with no reported cases appear unlikely to provide accurate tests. These include North Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Ten Pacific Island nations have also still reported no positive cases including Kiribati, the ‘Freely Associated States’ of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands.
Registered nurse Maddison Williams receives the Pfizer Covid jab in Canberra in February. Nurses are among the occupations who can apply for exemption from the travel ban
Source link