With varying rules in all our States and Territories, here is a quick reference list for our Allied Health Professionals who are looking to fill locum, contract or permanent roles over the border.
Note, this is an ever-changing landscape. For most current rules and restrictions, visit the quick links at the end of this post.
You are allowed to enter Victoria from interstate — except NSW.
People in Victoria are strongly encouraged not to enter NSW at this time and you will not be able to come back to Victoria if you do.
Currently, it is advised that Victorians do not holiday in Greater Brisbane which is in lockdown until 6.00pm AEST, Monday 11 January 2021
A new permit system is to be introduced for travel into all States and Territories using a traffic light system – Green, Orange & Red zones.
ACT is open to every state and territory, but not certain parts of NSW & QLD.
Non-ACT residents who’ve recently been in Greater Sydney or Greater Brisbane can not enter the ACT without a valid exemption. This restriction will be in place until Wednesday 13 January 2021.
You must apply for the exemption at least three days before travelling. To complete an exemption or online declaration form, visit covid19.act.gov.au
There are no entry restrictions into NSW from any other state or territory. Entry from New Zealand without having to quarantine is also permitted. However, there are travel restrictions imposed by other States & Territories if you are looking to travel into NSW and then return.
Travel within NSW has no restrictions on travelling to or from the rest of NSW. However, the NSW Government recommends delaying non-essential travel within NSW, especially between Greater Sydney and regional areas.
From Friday 8 January 2020 at 7.00pm AEDT – NSW – anyone who has been in Greater Brisbane since January 2 must isolate until 7:00pm AEDT on Monday 11 January 2020.
From from Friday 8 January 2020 at 6:00pm AEST there will be a 3-day hard lockdown for Greater Brisbane (this includes Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands) until Monday 11 January 2020 at 6:00pm.
All residents in those areas need to stay at home unless it is for essential work, providing healthcare for a vulnerable person, essential shopping or to exercise in your local neighbourhood.
If you do go outside, masks in those areas will be mandatory.
QLD border is open to all states and territories, with some exceptions.
NSW
You will need a border pass to enter Queensland if you come from NSW.
However, Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong have been declared hotspots. As such restrictions do apply:
→ You are not allowed to enter Queensland if you’ve been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the past 14 days or since the hotspot was declared — whichever is shorter.
→ You may be granted an exemption, but you’ll need to get tested and go into hotel quarantine at your own expense for 14 days from the date you entered Queensland.
→ If you’re travelling from another part of NSW, you must apply for a Queensland Border Declaration Pass before entering Queensland.
VIC
QLD border is open to people travelling from Victoria if they haven’t been in a hotspot in the last 14 days or since the hotspot was declared — whichever is shorter.
If you’re currently in QLD and have been in Victoria on or since Monday 21 December 2020, should get tested immediately. You should also quarantine at home or your accommodation until you receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
If you’re travelling to QLD and have been in Victoria on or since Monday 21 December 2020, you should get tested in Queensland when you reach your final destination. You should also quarantine at home or your accommodation until you receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
You need to complete a Cross Border Travel Registration at least 3 days before you enter South Australia, regardless of where your travel begins.
Anyone who has been in NSW in the last 14 days cannot enter South Australia. The only exceptions are:
→ returning South Australian residents
→ people fleeing domestic violence
→ people permanently relocating to SA
→ travellers transiting through NSW from another state or territory
Greater Brisbane has been declared a hot spot – anyone coming into the state from the region from midnight Thursday 7 January 2021 will be required to quarantine for two weeks.
Anyone who has been in the area since the second of January will be required to be tested.
WA has a controlled interstate border arrangement.
This means people coming from interstate can now travel into and around WA by air, road or rail — subject to certain conditions outlined below.
All travellers to WA must complete a mandatory G2G PASS registration and declaration before they enter. It can take up to 6 business days for the WA Police to process your application.
HARD BORDER CLOSURE – QLD
Travel from Queensland will no longer be permitted, unless you are an exempt traveller.
Anyone who has arrived from Queensland since January 2 or was in Queensland from January 2 and has since arrived in WA will be required to do the following:
→ self-quarantine in a suitable premise until you have spent 14 days in WA;
→ present for an initial COVID-19 test by Tuesday, 12 January;
→ present for a COVID-19 test if any symptoms develop during quarantine;
→ present for a COVID-19 test on day 11 after arrival in WA (if still in WA).
MEDIUM-RISK – NSW + VIC
NSW + VIC have been classified as ‘medium risk’. This means that only essential travellers will be able to enter WA. Anyone in WA who has arrived from or been in NSW from 11 December 2020 must:
→ self-quarantine in suitable premises as soon as possible
→ get a COVID-19 test in the next 24 hours
→ return to self-quarantine until a negative test is confirmed
VERY LOW-RISK
Travellers to WA don’t have to quarantine if they’ve only been in a ‘very low-risk’ state or territory in the last 14 days.
WA has classified the following as very low-risk states and territories — those which haven’t had community cases in at least 28 days:
→ Australian Capital Territory
→ Northern Territory
→ South Australia
→ Tasmania
Arrivals into the NT must:
→ fill in a Border Entry Form.
→ complete 14 days of mandatory supervised quarantine at your own expense, if you have been in a declared COVID-19 hot spot.
→ Hotspot google map can be found here.
→ From 11.59pm Thursday 31 December 2020 the NT closed its border to travellers from greater metropolitan Sydney. Anyone arriving will go into mandatory quarantine.
→ Border with Victoria remains open.
Entry to Tasmania and quarantine requirements depend on where you’ve been in the 14 days before you travelled to Tasmania. Areas are declared as either low, medium- or high-risk.
If you are currently in Tasmania and you visited any of the high-risk locations listed at coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert — on the dates and times listed — you need to self-isolate immediately.
From Thursday 7 January 2021, anyone who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since January 2 must immediately quarantine when arriving in Tassie for up to 14 days.
If you have been at these high-risk locations during the dates and times listed at coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travelalert and plan to travel to Tasmania, you will not be allowed to enter — unless approved as an essential traveller. You can apply for an exemption via the G2G system.
Anyone coming from NSW to Tasmania who has been in NSW since Friday 11 December 2020 will need to reapply for a new Tas e-Travel pass to confirm they have not visited any high-risk locations.
LOW-RISK AREAS
Low-risk areas are:
→ New South Wales — except specific high-risk premises, see tas.gov.au
→ Victoria — except specific high-risk premises, see tas.gov.au
→ Queensland
→ Western Australia
→ South Australia
→ Australian Capital Territory
→ Northern Territory
→ New Zealand
Travellers who’ve spent time in the past 14 days in a low-risk area don’t need to quarantine on arrival. You must register their travel and contact details via the Tas e-Travel system at least 3 days before arriving.
HIGH-RISK AREAS
High-risk areas are:
→ specific premises and areas in NSW — visit tas.gov.au/travelalert
→ specific premises in Victoria — visit tas.gov.au/travelalert
→ any other country (other than New Zealand)
→ a cruise ship
Travellers who’ve been to a high-risk domestic location in the 14 days before arriving must quarantine in government-designated accommodation — fees may apply.
Passengers from New Zealand can travel to Australia, quarantine-free, provided they have not been in an area designated as a COVID-19 hotspot in New Zealand in the preceding 14 days (which currently there are none).
Normal visa requirements apply and travellers returning to New Zealand from Australia will be required to complete 14-day hotel quarantine.
→ Australian Capital Territory Travel Updates
→ New South Wales Travel Updates
→ Northern Territory Travel Updates
→ Queensland Travel Updates
→ South Australia Travel Updates
→ Tasmania Travel Updates
→ Victoria COVID-19 Updates
→ Western Australia Travel Updates
