Can You Leave Australia During COVID-19?

COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the government of Australia to put stringent measures in place and impose travel restrictions both for travelling in and out of the country. The restrictions are the strictest ever put in Australia, henceforth. Many countries apart from Australia have also halted international travel in keeping with the WHO’s advice that these measures are ineffective in slowing the spread of the heinous, life-threatening virus. The current development in travel restrictions has placed that those who have a travel exemption for leaving Australia can leave Australia if absolutely necessary.

How was this travel ban put in place?

On 19th March 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australians should refrain from travelling overseas in lieu of the severity of the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. With many Australians disregarding this announcement and advice even a fortnight from the announcement, on 25th March 2020, Australia announced an imposed official travel ban to contain the spread of the virus and to curtail the Biosecurity of the nation. It was announced that anyone who wished to travel outside of the Australian sovereign needs to apply and obtain a travel exemption for leaving Australia.

What are the restrictions in place today?

Section 5 of the Determination stipulates that an Australian citizen or permanent resident, at any cost, must not leave Australia unless they obtain a general exemption pass that grants them the right to leave the national territory. It further states that aircraft and other vessels must not leave the territory with any permanent resident or Australian citizen unless they have obtained travel exemption in Australia.

Who can avail and apply for an exemption to leave Australia?

Those individuals who fall in the categories can apply for an exemption to leave Australia:

• Individuals who ordinarily reside in another country

• Individuals who are a part of the airline and maritime crew

• Individuals who are New Zealanders that hold a Subclass 444 visa

• Individuals engaged in conducting business day-to-day freight in and out of the national territory.

• Individuals who work in essential services at offshore facilities

• Individuals travelling out of the country on official government business

Why are they eligible to apply for travel exemption leaving Australia?

• Individuals whose presence is essential to run critical industries and businesses

• Individuals who require urgent medical treatment unavailable withi Australia

• Individuals who need to attend to urgent and unavoidable personal business

• Individuals who need to travel for the national interest of Australia

• Individuals who are part of the COVID-19 response team.

All of those individuals who fall into these categories are free to apply for travel exemption in Australia. Apply today to get your shot at leaving Australia for any urgent work.