WA Border Opening 2022: Impact on Students and Visa Holders

Are you eligible to enter WA?

At the moment, exemptions are granted to returning Western Australians with strong and recent connections, or have direct family relations will be granted exemptions. Under compassionate grounds, the reasons to travel to WA include: attending funerals, palliative care or terminally ill visitation, people entering for urgent and essential medical treatment, people entering for national and state security reasons, and people with specialist skills that aren’t available in WA. 

Approved international travellers

For approved direct international arrivals, including international students, travellers must complete mandatory quarantine for 7 days at suitable premises.

Additionally, there will be mandatory COVID-19 testing on the day following the traveller’s arrival, as directed by the state government and/or health officials.

It should be noted that if you’ve travelled from outside Australia to another Australian state or territory, you will be regarded as a domestic traveller. This means that the international arrival rules will not apply to you.

Approved interstate travellers

Some of the students may consider entering WA from another state/territory. If this is the case, they will be regarded as interstate travellers. They will be subject to self-isolation at suitable premises for a reduced period of 7 days. Mandatory COVID-19 testing will also be conducted as directed by the state government and/or health officials.

G2G passes: what are they?

A G2G pass is an online application that allows you to complete your mandatory registration and declaration, and it acts as a permit for you to enter Western Australia. This should be done prior to arrival in WA. The G2G pass ensures the correct conditions of entry are applied to you upon your arrival. Approved travellers will need to have received their booster COVID-19 vaccination (if eligible), and provide a negative antigen test 24 hours prior to their departure. 

These new testing requirements are subject to ongoing health advice, they may change or vary depending on the current health advice. 

Arriving in Western Australia: What you should do

To protect public health, there are some measures you’ll have to take. These measures include:

• Masks will be required to be worn in some high-risk indoor settings.: These will include: Public Transport, Taxis and Ride Share Services, At Airports and Flights, Visiting hospitals, residential aged care, disability care or custodial corrections facilities.
• Monitor exposure site list: Staying up to date with the latest exposure sites while you’re in WA can be done easily through here. Additionally, you can check the health advice to figure out whether you are required to monitor for symptoms, get tested, or self-isolate.
• Proof of vaccination for people 16 years and older will be required at certain venues. : These include: venues or events with 1000 or more patrons, hospitality venues, the Crown Complex, as well as stadiums (Optus Stadium, RAC Arena, HBF Stadium – (Main Arena and HBF Park).

Helpful tip: Downloading the ServiceWA app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store allows you to easily access your vaccination certificate, and scan into venues all in one place!

You should note that WA state border requirements can change frequently, due to the fluid nature of the pandemic. If you are not sure, make sure you consult with the state government first, before making any major decisions such as travelling or relocating. Contact our friendly team for more assistance.