Updated 29 Apr 2022
Further FREEDOM from today Friday 29 Apr 2022.
Masks
No longer mandatory
except for high risk settings for people aged 12 years and older (including year 7s) in the following settings:
on public transport, in taxis and rideshare vehicles and other passenger transport, airports, hospitals, residential aged care and disability service facilities, and correctional facilities.
Masks are encouraged where physical distancing isn’t possible.
Close contacts
Close contacts with no symptoms are not required to isolate for 7 days, but must:
undertake a daily Rapid Antigen Test and obtain a negative result
wear a mask when leaving the house, avoid high-risk settings, including hospitals, healthcare settings, aged care facilities, residential care facilities (including disability care facilities and mental health residential facilities) and correctional facilities unless they work at these locations. Relevant workers entering high risk settings are subject to additional obligations.
They are also strongly encouraged to:
avoid non-essential gatherings and contact with people at risk of severe illness, work from home, where possible, notify their employer/educational facility of their close contact status.
Close contacts with no symptoms who work in a high-risk setting must also:
advise their employer they are a close contact, seek confirmation from their employer to attend work, monitor for symptoms, immediately leave the workplace and return home if they develop symptoms or become COVID positive
only enter or remain at the high-risk setting for the purposes of their work duties, wear a surgical mask while at work along with any PPE requirements from their employer, not share break areas at work with any other person, maintain physical distancing
Close contacts with symptoms must continue to isolate until symptoms resolve and get tested as per existing protocols.
If a close contact tests positive, they must isolate for a further 7 days as per arrangements for positive COVID-19 cases.
Density and capacity limits:
The 2 square metre rule removed for venues and businesses
Capacity limits removed for all entertainment venues, stadiums and events
Proof of COVID-19 vaccinations:
No longer required to enter venues and businesses
Still required to visit hospitals and residential aged care facilities
Mandatory workplace vaccination requirements will remain in place.
Travel:
G2G Pass registration no longer required.
Triple dose vaccination no longer required for interstate arrivals
Double dose vaccination requirement for international arrivals will continue as per Australian Government requirements
Unvaccinated Australian international arrivals to continue to quarantine for 7 days
Travel to remote Aboriginal communities remains restricted.
Hospitals:
Two visitors permitted per patient per day
Essential visitors are also allowed at hospitals for compassionate reasons, birth partners, carers/parents/guardians etc.
Visitors are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations and wear a mask.
Residential aged care and disability care facilities:
Two visitors permitted per resident per day
Masks must be worn by staff and visitors indoors and outdoors
Visitors are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations at residential aged care facilities.
COVID Safety and Event Plans:
No longer mandatory but still encouraged
Schools and early childcare:
Remaining public health measures in place removed
Some preventative measures retained in schools including enhanced ventilation, mandatory vaccination and cleaning
12 million free RATs provided to all schools and childcare facilities to distribute to parents and carers
Parents and students will be encouraged to collect tests, to ensure they are ready to test their children if symptoms develop.
Page reviewed 29 April 2022
Updated 3 March 2022
WA’s hard border lifted! Welcome to WA from anywhere in the World
WA’s hard border has been lifted to allow for safe quarantine-free travel into WA from interstate and overseas, with vaccination and testing requirements on arrival.
Requirements for travellers are outlined below:
Interstate arrivals
- hold a current G2G Pass
- be triple dose vaccinated against COVID-19, if eligible (or double dose vaccinated if not eligible for a third dose)
- register their arrival into WA by scanning the G2G Pass QR code available in the terminal
- undertake a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) upon arrival within 12 hours if entering by air, or 24 hours if entering by road, and register any positive result.
- No quarantine for vaccinated travellers
International arrivals
- meet Commonwealth Government requirements (external link) to enter Australia, including vaccination and testing requirements
- be fully vaccinated under the Commonwealth Government requirements, if eligible
- hold a current G2G Pass
- undertake a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) upon arrival within 12 hours and register any positive result.
- No quarantine for vaccinated travellers
- 7 days hotel quarantine for unvaccinated international travellers
Information is available for travellers about entering WA, what restrictions apply and how to manage COVID-19 if they test positive or are a close contact.
Ref: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/was-hard-border-lifted
Updated 18 Feb 2022
WA’s full border opening from Thursday 3 March 2022
Following a review of WA’s border controls based on the latest health advice, the updated Safe Transition Plan will take effect from 12.01am Thursday, 3 March 2022.
The full border opening will allow for safe travel into WA from interstate and overseas with vaccination and testing requirements on arrival, pending the latest health advice.
Interstate travel into WA
- Have a registered G2G Pass
- Be triple dose vaccinated, if eligible
- Undertake a Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival within 12 hours and report any positive result.
International travel into WA
- Meet Commonwealth Government requirements to enter Australia
- Be fully vaccinated under the Commonwealth Government requirements, if eligible
- Have a registered G2G Pass
- Undertake a Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival within 12 hours and report any positive result
- Unvaccinated returning Australians will be required to complete hotel quarantine.
The testing arrangements are interim and will be in place for a minimum of two weeks and then be subject to ongoing review. All arrivals will be provided with one Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival to meet these interim testing requirements.
Ref: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/was-full-border-opening-thursday-3-march-2022
Updated 16 Feb 2022
Already-enrolled international students can now enter WA
Already-enrolled international students can now enter Western Australia, as part of the continued review of border controls based on the latest health advice.
This allows international students already enrolled in a Western Australian primary school, secondary school, university, college, technical college, or other further education course to enter WA from today.
This applies to those who are just starting their course and those who have been enrolled and studied onshore or offshore in previous years.
Students can either fly direct into Western Australia within the Australian Government-set cap, or indirectly by transiting through another state or territory.
Requirements for entry for already-enrolled international students
- An approved G2G pass, with ‘Enrolled Student in WA’ as the exemption category;
- Triple dose vaccinated if eligible, or double dose vaccinated if not;
- Proof of a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 24 hours before departure;
- Seven days of self-quarantine at a suitable premises in Western Australia with the same requirements for household members at the self-quarantine premises;
- RAT or PCR testing within 24 hours of arrival, and either a PCR test on day six or a RAT on day seven of self-quarantine. If symptomatic, students will need to continue isolation until symptoms resolve. Household members will also be required to do a PCR test on the traveller’s day seven;
- Mandatory use of the G2G Now app and in-person checks by the Western Australian Police as required.
Ref: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/already-enrolled-international-students-can-now-enter-wa
Updated 10 Feb 2022
https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-jobs-tourism-science-and-innovation/travel-information-international-students#after-5-february-2022
Updated 1 Feb 2022
COVID Transition (Border Requirements) Amendment Directions (No 1)
The WA State Government has updated (29/1/2022) the Direction for “Returning Students” who are interstate domestic, in-country overseas or overseas.
Returning Students Directions (No 3) were also released which replace the Returning Students Directions (No 2) which were published on 25 January 2022.
These amendments to the Directions change the position for students who enter Western Australia (WA) via another State or Territory of Australia to study face to face at PCBT:
- International students who arrive in Australia after 12:01am on 5 February 2022 will not be ‘approved travellers’ and therefore will not be allowed to enter WA.
- International students who arrive in Australia before 12:01am on 5 February 2022 and domestic students will be able to enter WA from now without any minimum period spent interstate (they and their immediate family members who are captured by the approval are required to self-quarantine for 14 days when they enter WA in addition to meeting other entry requirements).
- Students who had their ordinary place of residence in WA in the last 2 years and are returning to permanently reside in WA can still enter after 5 February 2022 (subject to the same additional requirements for entering WA, including the requirement to self-quarantine for 14 days).
- Provide proof they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine
- Have an approved G2G pass under the new exemption criteria
- Have access to suitable quarantine premises which are located within 200 kilometres of their point of entry into Western Australia
- Download and comply with the G2G Now app while in quarantine
- Get tested on the 1st and 12th day of their quarantine (PCR or RAT)
- Comply with testing requirements in the Australian State that they arrive in internationally prior to entering Western Australia (see here for more information on the various jurisdiction directions).
Our understanding is this new direction only applies to students already in Australia (or those who arrive in Australia by 12.01am 5 February 2022). Otherwise, WA’s controlled border arrangements remain in place subject to a new border opening date announced by the WA Government.