COVID Vaccination Requirements Scrapped For International Travellers To Australia

Australia’s Covid border requirements are changing from Wednesday with international travellers no longer needing to provide proof of their vaccination status.

The shake up for foreign travellers to Australia, means people who have been given doses which have not been recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) can now enter the country.

The announcement on Sunday comes after more than two-years of strict Covid-based restrictions on travel into Australia.

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Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the decision follows the advice of the nation’s top doctor, Professor Paul Kelly.

"The Chief Medical Officer has advised it is no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccine status as part of our management of Covid," he said.

"Unvaccinated Australians, as well as certain groups of visa holders, have been able to travel to Australia for some time.

"We will continue to act on the medical advice as needed," Mr Butler said.

Coming into effect from 12:01am tomorrow, the changes mean Australia’s international borders will be opened in full to unvaccinated travellers.

Vaccination entry requirements changes were announced on the same day Australia recorded its 10,000th Covid death.    

The change also comes as Australia heads towards its third Omicron wave, with BA.4 and BA.5 set to become the dominant strain across the nation in the coming weeks.

Foreign travellers arriving in Australia will still need to comply with other Covid restrictions, like wearing masks on flights.

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