When tourists can come to Australia – everything you need to know about Covid rule changes

A series of ground-breaking announcements on the future of Covid in Australia have been announced – with citizens to be hit with new rules on travel, work and masks.

The Prime Minister on Monday confirmed Australia’s international border will be flung open to tourists for the first time since the pandemic began. 

On February 21, visitors will be welcomed Down Under for the first time in two years, reuniting thousands of families separated by tough border closures as well as kickstarting the multi-billion dollar international tourism industry.

And just over a week after Australia’s grand reopening, residents in NSW may no longer be required to wear a mask in all indoor settings including when at work. 

Workplaces have also been dealt a major update to the current guidelines on working from home, with employees to be encouraged to return to offices from March.  

Here is everything you need to know after a day of game-changing Covid announcements. 

‘The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it,’ the prime minister (pictured) said on Monday

Australia’s international border to reopen for foreign tourists

After two long years of strict border closures the country will start to prepare for an influx of sorely-missed international family, friends and tourists. 

Scott Morrison broke the happy news on Monday, but was quick to remind eager travellers they would only be welcome Down Under if they were fully vaccinated. 

‘The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it,’ the prime minister said.

‘But if you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia and I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that.’ 

While backpackers, international students and some visa holders have entered Australia in the last six months, from Monday February 21, any person with a valid visa and two doses of a Covid vaccine will be welcomed. 

It will up to individual states and territories to determine whether additional quarantine arrangements and arrival caps will apply to their visitors. 

It will up to individual states and territories to determine whether additional quarantine arrangements and arrival caps will apply to visitors (pictured, a couple in Perth Airport)

Travellers who are not vaccinated against Covid will subject to state-based restrictions and will have to apply proof of a medical exemption (pictured, people are reunited in Perth)

Travellers who are not vaccinated against Covid will subject to state-based restrictions and will have to apply proof of a medical exemption. 

Mr Morrison has confirmed entry conditions will be just two doses of a vaccine – not a third booster – because there are ‘various agreements around the world’. 

Depending on which state visitors touch down in they may be required to do a PCR or rapid antigen test soon after they arrive. 

Announcements on state-based restrictions are expected to be made in the coming weeks with pre-departure testing for international visitors still required at this stage. 

International arrivals in Victoria and NSW have not been required to quarantine since last year, with Queensland following suit in January. 

Individual states and territories, excluding Western Australia which is yet to announce a rescheduled reopening date, are expected to endorse the move. 

Mr Morrison said the decision was made because Australia is now ravaged with the Omicron variant of Covid, meaning international travellers don’t pose an extra risk.  

Mr Morrison said the decision was made because Australia is now ravaged with the Omicron variant of Covid, meaning international travellers don’t pose an extra risk (stock image)

Individual states and territories, excluding Western Australia, are expected to endorse the decision to reopen the international border (pictured, people walk in Sydney)

Masks to be scrapped in NSW

In a major update to rules on face-coverings, masks are set to be scrapped in NSW from March 1 as part of a plan to boost the state’s Covid-struck economy. 

All indoor mask mandates – including in workplaces – will be lifted from the beginning of the month, The Daily Telegraph reported. 

Premier Dominic Perrottet is said to be hope the rule change will breathe life back into the Sydney CBD as the Omicron wave of new cases continues to decline. 

However, a senior government source told Daily Mail Australia the decision on masks has yet to be signed off by the state cabinet.

Currently, masks must be worn in all indoor public venues including supermarkets, pubs and cafes until February 28, Mr Perrottet announced last month. 

In Victoria, Premier Dan Andrews said rules on masks would not change ‘any time soon’ as Omicron was a ‘wildly infectious variant and we are being guided by safety, which has never been more important than it is right now’. 

With the restriction to wear masks indoors unlikely to be eased for some time, it means anyone breaking the rule will continue to face a crippling $21,909 fine for breaching the pandemic order. 

All indoor mask mandates – including in workplaces – could be lifted from March 1 in NSW (pictured, a woman walks in Sydney’s CBD)

Employees called back into workplaces in NSW 

In addition to the easing of rules on face-coverings, employees will be encouraged to return to the city and work face-to-face in offices again. 

The premier said it was a ‘civic duty’ to bring workers back to the CBD in a move that is predicted to bring social and economic benefits. 

More live music, events, discounted public transport fares and vouchers are ideas being floated as potential incentives for returning employees. 

‘All over the world, people dream of coming to our Harbour City for work, pleasure and to live,’ Mr Perrottet said of the new recovery plan. 

‘We want to ensure that our CBD has the vibrant energy and strong economy to maintain our role as a global city.’

‘All over the world, people dream of coming to our Harbour City for work, pleasure and to live,’ Mr Perrottet (pictured) said of the new plan to bring employees back to the CBD

NSW Premier hints at changes to the traditional school day

During a press conference on Monday, Mr Perrottet suggested the time-honoured school schedule may be reviewed to allow working families more flexibility.

‘The school hours of nine till three, that was set up at a very different time in life. The world in the 1950s is very different from the world we live in today,’ he said. 

‘We as a government will be looking always at better ways of doing things, of thinking outside the box and striking new directions moving forward.’ 

Mr Perrottet said trials were underway in a number of NSW schools varying the hours students attend school but that a ‘one size fits all’ approach would not be taken.