The Victorian Government has welcomed the announcement made by the Commonwealth Government that from 1 December, fully vaccinated international students will be able to come to Australia without a travel exemption.
Victoria’s International Student Arrivals Plan will bring back students from December and the new Commonwealth conditions will enable even more students to come to Victoria.
Since 1 November international arrivals to Victoria, including international students, have been able to enter without spending 14 days in hotel quarantine provided they met COVID-19 test requirements and were fully vaccinated – if they had a travel exemption from the Commonwealth.
As of 1 December, international students will no longer require a Commonwealth exemption.
The Victorian Government will continue to support international student arrivals and is working closely with universities and education providers to ensure students arrive safely and ready to commence their studies.
The re-opening of our international border has been made possible by Victoria’s high vaccination rate, which is set to hit 90 per cent imminently. Enabling the return of fully vaccinated international students will help boost academic and local communities as well as Victoria’s international education sector.
International education is a critical services export and jobs provider for Victoria, contributing a peak of $13.7 billion to the state’s economy and supporting around 79,000 Victorian jobs prior to the pandemic.
Around 49,000 students enrolled with a Victorian education provider remain offshore due to the pandemic while about 70,000 are currently in Victoria.
The Victorian Government also looks forward to the return of skilled migrants and other eligible visa holders to the state. Skilled migration will be vital to help drive Victoria’s recovery and growth post-pandemic.
The first Victorian Government-facilitated group of returning students is scheduled to arrive from Singapore on 3 December, with groups from China, India, South East Asia and the Middle East scheduled to arrive later in December and in January.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade Martin Pakula
“Thousands of international students are looking forward to attending classes on Victorian soil and this continuing good news will be enthusiastically received across the globe.”
“Through their culture, their social contributions and the part-time work many of them perform, international students are a vital part of our community and we look forward to welcoming them back.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Higher Education Gayle Tierney
“We’ve really missed international students and we can’t wait to welcome them back to Victoria – they add so much to our campuses and communities.”
Reviewed 23 November 2021