We are excited to share the most recent Australian Government announcement with you!

Bluesky welcomes announcement from the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, that international student visa holders who are vaccinated with a TGA recognized vaccine will be able to enter Australia without the need to apply for a travel exemption from 15th December 2021.

Return of international students to Australia

From 1 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can travel to and from Australia without a travel exemption.

The NSW Government will not require international students to quarantine on arrival if they are fully vaccinated with a TGA-recognised vaccine. This aligns with quarantine requirements for returning Australians.

To be permitted to enter Australia, international students will need to satisfy the following conditions:

 

  • Be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). A full list of vaccines can be found here
  • Hold a valid visa for one of the eligible visa subclasses, which includes Student Visa (subclass 500)
  • Provide proof of their vaccination status.
  • Present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within three days of departure.

 

Importantly, students entering Australia will need to comply with the quarantine arrangements of the state they are travelling to. Currently, only travellers to New South Wales (Sydney & Newcastle campuses) and Victoria (Melbourne campus) are not required to quarantine, but the situation in other states will change in the future.

For further information about the current requirements of each state refer to:

 

New South Wales:    https://www.study.sydney/return

Victoria:                      https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/international-student-arrivals-plan

South Australia:        https://studyadelaide.com/return

 

Information for international students returning to Sydney and NSW

Plan ahead and please read carefully to ensure you have a safe and smooth journey and transition back to NSW community.

Step 1 (Mandatory)

Ensure your passport and student visa for Australia are valid

Check that your passport is valid for at least six months prior to your arrival in Australia.

All international students must ensure that their student visa for Australia is valid.

Please visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for information. Apply for your visa at least six weeks before your course starts.

Complete as soon as possible.

Step 2 (Mandatory)

Ensure your vaccination certificate meets Australia’s requirements

You must be fully vaccinated with a Therapeutic Good Association (TGA) approved or recognised COVID-19 vaccine.

To understand which vaccines are approved or recognised please go to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Note: Travellers vaccinated outside Australia must present certificates that meet the following criteria:

  • Issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider
  • Written in English or accompanied by a certified translation
  • Containing at a minimum:

– name as it appears in the traveller’s passport

– either date of birth or passport number

– the vaccine brand name, and

– the date of each dose or the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed.

Paper and digital certificates are equally acceptable.

Complete as soon as possible.

Step 3 (Mandatory)

Submit Australian Travel Declaration (ATD) online

You must submit your Australian Travel Declaration online with a copy of your vaccination certificate before your flight.

You will then receive an email confirmation with details to be shown (either electronically or printed) before boarding your flight and on arrival in Australia.

Complete at least 72 hours before your scheduled departure.

Step 4 (Mandatory)

Obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test before travelling

Visit your local COVID-19 test centre to receive a test before travelling.

Read more about Australian Government’s advice in providing evidence of your pre-departure COVID-19 PCR Test.

Please also check requirements of your local authority and airline for pre-departure testing, as criteria may vary depending on your departure/transit location. Complete the test within three days of scheduled departure, unless your local authority/airline instructs otherwise.

Note: If you are participating in the NSW International Student Arrivals Pilot Plan and you test positive to COVID-19, you must advise your education provider immediately.

Complete the test within three days of scheduled departure.

Step 5 (Mandatory)

Verify vaccination certificate at airport

Before boarding, the airline staff will check:

  • that your vaccination status is valid for travel to Australia and
  • that your COVID-19 test was negative.

Please have a printout of your vaccination certificate ready to prove that you are vaccinated.

The certificate must meet Australian Government requirements (see step 2).

Complete at flight check-in.

Step 6 (Recommended)

Organise your accommodation in Sydney

It is best to book short-term accommodation before you arrive in Australia and look for longer-term options when you arrive. This allows you time to explore the neighbourhoods and view the properties and can help you choose an option that best suits you. Temporary accommodation includes budget hostels and hotels.

Study NSW has a list of student accommodation options in Sydney and regional NSW.

In compliance with visa condition 8533 on your student visa grant, you must let your education provider know your residential address within seven (7) days of arriving in Australia. If your residential address changes you must let your education provider know within 7 days of the change.

Complete two weeks before departure.

Step 7 (Recommended)

Organise your transport from Sydney Airport

Please contact your education provider for transfer options or view the Sydney Airport website.

Complete one week before departure.

Bluesky offering accommodation help  https://blueskyconsultancy.com.pk/accomodation/

Step 8 (Mandatory)

Obtain a COVID-19 nose and throat PCR test within 24 hours of arrival

Go to the closest NSW Health free testing clinic to obtain a test. Visit the NSW Health website to find the closest clinic to you. Read the NSW Health requirements for mandatory testing here.

Complete within 24 hours of arriving in NSW.

Step 9 (Mandatory)

Obtain a COVID-19 nose and throat PCR test on or after seventh day of arrival

Go to the closest NSW Health free testing clinic to obtain a test. Visit the NSW Health website to find the closest clinic to you. Read the NSW Health requirements for mandatory testing here.

Complete on or after day seven of arriving in NSW.

Step 10 (Recommended)

Download the Service NSW app

Download the Service NSW app to your phone. This will allow you to check in at places like supermarkets or restaurants and receive COVID-19 updates while living in NSW.

Download the Service NSW Mobile App.

Complete any time before you start moving around in public in NSW.

Step 11 (Recommended)

Add proof of your COVID-19 vaccination to Service NSW app

If you’re not eligible for Medicare, you can still add your COVID-19 digital certificate to the Service NSW app by using the Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) service through myGov. This means you can quickly check in and show proof of your COVID-19 vaccination wherever it’s required.

Read more about adding your proof of COVID-19 vaccination to Service NSW here.

Complete any time after arriving in NSW.

 

Team Bluesky wishes everyone all the best.

For further details : please prefer WhatsApp at +61 410 454 800 , 0308 888 9622