VISAS TO AUSTRALIA and the COVID exemptions

This information has been updated in an article posted on 20 May 2021

28 August 2020

​Travel restrictions apply if you are without a COVID visa exception, unless you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident, an immediate family member of a citizen or resident or are a New Zealand citizen who usually resides in Australia.

Any other travelers who have a compassionate or compelling reason to travel to Australia will need to apply for an exemption from the Australian Border Force Commissioner in accordance with the below list.

KEY EXEMPTIONS FOR NON-RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS 

For non-citizens and non-residents, an application for an Australian COVID visa exemption can only be considered by The Commissioner of the Australian Border Force for:

• foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Australian Commonwealth Government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response or whose entry would be in the national interest
• critical medical services, including air ambulance and delivery of supplies, that regularly arrive into Australia from international ports
• people with critical skills (for example, medical specialists, engineers, marine pilots and crews)
• diplomats with current posting in Australia, and their immediate family
• ​humanitarian or compassionate reasons – assessed on a case by case basis.

UPDATE: 28 August 2020
Key update - Exceptions for non citizens can be granted for people working in sectors critical for Australians Economic Recovery eg;

• Film productions
• media and television productions
• financial technology
• large scale manufacturing
• emerging technologies 
• and similar

Non citzens with critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services (such as in medical technology, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, engineering and mining, supply chain logistics, agriculture, primary industry, food production, and the maritime industry),  can also be granted an exemption 

Exemptions applied and granted before travel. The request for an exemption requires specific submissions and supporting information to be provided to the Commissioner. The supporting material required will depend on the type of exemption sought and reason for the request.

All non-English documents and material are required to be translated by a approved translator.  

Ideally, at least 4 weeks processing should be allowed, however faster assessment may be processed for urgent requests.

The exception will not be processed if it is applied for more than 3 months prior to the proposed arrival date and you do not need to hold a visa before seeking the exemption.

On arrival into Australia, a 14-day quarantine is mandatory at designated facilities (for example, a hotel and if certain requirements are met private quarantine can be arranged, which is too costly for many). ​

There may also be additional quarantine or other requirements put in place with any exemption applied for depending on where the applicant is travelling from. 

Travel restrictions are changing regularly and quicker than we can update this information.

Any questions contact talentvisas [@] mccormicks.com.au

If you wish to enquire about private quarantine please email Matt on matt {@} mccormicks.com.au. 

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