20/03/2020
No doubt by now you've heard about the travel ban being implemented 9pm AEST tonight.
This ban applies to a majority of people coming to visit or work in Australia.
We have been inundated by people wanting to know what this means for their visa status, combined with the large amount of international flight cancellations.
Firstly, the ban applies to all incoming travellers excluding the following:
• Australian Citizens
• Australian Permanent Residents
• New Zealand Citizens who usually reside in Australia
• Immediate family members of Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents (including de facto partners)
The ban is inclusive of the following:
• Temporary workers (subclass 482, 457, 400, etc)
• Tourists (subclass 600, ETA, etc)
• Students (Subclass 500, 485, etc)
This is not an exhaustive list and there may be additional exceptions not listed above. More information can be found from the Department of Home Affairs Alerts Page.
It's extremely important to remain lawfully onshore in a time like this. Temporary residents who are currently onshore are unable to re-enter the country, should they need to leave for any reason. It has been speculated that the ban could be in place until June.
