As it stands, the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force and its decision makers are permitted to grant travel exemptions from Australia’s current COVID-19 tough travel restrictions. They have since widened the scope of who these may be granted to.

Travel exemptions may be granted to those that fall within the below categories :

• Foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Australian Commonwealth Government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response or whose entry would be in the national interest;
  
  
• People with critical skills, including nurses, doctors, medical specialists, engineers, marine pilots and crews. Skills must be critical to Australia’s COVID-19 response or economic recovery e.g. occupations included on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL);
  
  
• People working in the media or entertainment industry where there is evidence of significant economic benefit to Australia;
  
  
• Cases demonstrating strong compassionate circumstances that, if not taken into account, would result in serious, ongoing and irreversible harm and continuing hardship to an Australian citizen or an Australian family unit;
  
  
• Compassionate circumstances regarding the age and/or health and/or psychological state of the person that, if not taken into account, would result in serious, ongoing and irreversible harm and continuing hardship to the person, whether this be an Australia or temporary visa holder who is working in a critical sector;
  
  

Unite Migration is here to help. If you or someone you know needs any assistance applying for a travel exemption, send us an email at [email protected]