Welcome to Western Australia, it's like no other

Airlines are expected to require passengers on international flights to be fully vaccinated at the time of travel with a TGA-approved or recognised vaccine.

Similarly, only students who are fully vaccinated with a TGA recognised vaccine will be eligible to enter Western Australia – to help protect the safety of the Western Australian community and the students themselves.

Currently, the Australian Government also requires international travellers to return a negative COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours prior to departure.

When Western Australia opens to international arrivals, fully vaccinated international students will not need to quarantine.

To qualify as fully vaccinated, you need to have received the recommended schedule of doses of a vaccine that Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved or recognised. 

A list of vaccines currently recognised and approved in Australia can be found here.

Full information regarding proof of vaccination can be viewed on the WA Government website.

No. From 5 February 2022, international students who are fully vaccinated will be able to enter Western Australia and will not need to quarantine.

Refer to the WA Government's COVID-19 information hub for more information.

If students are arriving prior to 5 February 2022, they will need to apply for a G2G pass. The G2G pass is activated at the time of issue.

Fully vaccinated students arriving after 5 February 2022 will still need to apply for a G2G pass but will not be required to undertake a quarantine period. However, vaccinated students arriving with a G2G pass prior to 5 February 2022 may be asked to quarantine.

The G2G system has now been updated to assess applications under the new restrictions and students arriving after 5 February 2022 can apply here.

International students are required to attend a COVID-19 clinic in Perth for their PCR test 48 hours after arrival. There is no cost to the student.

Locations of COVID-19 clinics can be found here.

From 5 February self-isolation may not be required while awaiting their result. However, this may be subject to change.

At the moment, the majority of international students may not be able to use the ServiceWA app due to the types of Australian ID documents requested. However, if a student has a WA Drivers Licence, this can be used alongside their visa and home country passport to access the app.

If you are unable to access the ServiceWA app and need to gain and show proof of vaccination, visit COVID-19 Coronavirus: Getting proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

For now, international students need to check in with the SafeWA app, and be able to show either an Australian COVID-19 digital certificate or a copy of their vaccination certificate from their home country (in English), and an accepted form of ID, such as a passport.

We encourage you to have your vaccination status recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register to access your digital vaccination digitally.

If students wish to bring rapid antigen tests for their own use, they should check to see if it is recognised in Australia: Therapeutic Goods Administration approved tests.

Please note, rapid antigen tests won’t be accepted for the 48 hours test; it must be a PCR test. A PCR test is completed at a COVID-19 clinic.

Locations of COVID-19 clinics can be found here.

For returning and new students with an overseas COVID-19 vaccination, students need go to a GP or pharmacy in WA to organise to have their COVID-19 vaccination recorded with the Australian Immunisation Register.

They will then be issued with a COVID-19 Certificate, which will be recognised by the ServiceWA App when they may be able to use it.

From 15 December 2021, fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption. This excludes entry into Western Australia. See more information on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Upon arrival in Australia, your entry into a specific State will be dependent on its border arrangements. Travel between Western Australia and other states is subject to travel restrictions (including testing and quarantine requirements). You can read more about the most recent entry requirements on the WA Government's dedicated G2G website.

Please note that Western Australia’s border will not be lifted any earlier than Saturday 5 February 2022.

Fully vaccinated arrivals with a TGA recognised vaccine and negative COVID-19 PCR test will not be required to quarantine when Western Australia’s border reopens. You can read more about the most recent entry requirements on the WA Government’s dedicated G2G website.

Although inbound travel restrictions will soon be lifted for certain foreign visa holders, Western Australia currently has an international passenger arrival cap of 530 per week. This number reflects capacity in state quarantine facilities.

Airlines will only sell tickets to passengers where there is a place available within the cap. It is not possible to arrive in WA from overseas without a space being available for them in a state quarantine facility. 

From 5 February 2022, WA’s controlled border will be eased to allow for international travel. After this time, an uncapped number of fully vaccinated international arrivals can travel to WA without the need to quarantine, subject to testing requirements. 

Entry into Australia is also subject to any remaining travel restrictions imposed by the Australian Government (for example, as of December 2021 most foreign tourists cannot enter Australia without an individual exemption).

The South Korea and Japan travel bubbles are not yet in effect.

Until the Western Australian border eases on 5 February 2022, all international arrivals are required to complete 14 days of quarantine in a state quarantine facility at their own expense. This includes citizens of travel bubble countries (Singapore and New Zealand).

Yes, you will need to hold a valid student visa to enter Australia.

Students can check their current visa status and the expiry date of their visa through VEVO or their ImmiAccount.

Students can also use their ImmiAccount to apply for a new visa if theirs has already expired or is close to expiring. 

For further information, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

On 25 November 2021, the Australian Government issued advice for further support for international students impacted by COVID-19 as borders reopen in Australia. The changes result in increased flexibility for international students returning to Australia and changed visa settings related to the temporary graduate visa.

The key changes for students include:

• Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders who have been unable to travel to Australia as a result of COVID-19 international border restrictions will be able to apply for a replacement visa. This will allow current and former Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa holders whose visas expired on or after 1 February 2020 to re-apply for a new subclass 485 visa of the same duration as their original visa. Applications will open on 1 July 2022.
• The length of stay on the Temporary Graduate visa for a Perth-based international student from three to four years for Masters by coursework graduates, matching that of Masters by research graduates. Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector graduates will also receive a two-year Temporary Graduate visa.
• The new visa settings will also extend existing measures for students and temporary graduates to recognise time spent offshore studying online to count towards qualifying for a temporary graduate visa.

Details about specific visas are listed on the Department of Home Affairs International Student Page. StudyPerth has also updated our Visa Information webpage to reflect these announcements.

Enrolled students

Students should stay connected to their education provider and ensure they have provided up-to-date contact information: email, address, and phone number.

To prepare for their entry to Western Australia, international students should:

• Ensure they are fully vaccinated with a TGA approved vaccine
• Contact their travel agent and start looking into their travel arrangements to Western Australia
• Understand their local COVID-19 testing arrangements

Prospective students

International students considering study in Western Australia should:

• Select their course and institution
• Apply directly to their chosen institution
• Apply for a student visa

Western Australian education providers will directly contact any students invited to return to Western Australia and provide the information they require at every step of the process.

This communication will ensure that students understand their responsibilities and obligations as they travel and arrive in Western Australia, as well as the support available to them from StudyPerth, the Western Australian Government and their education providers.

Education providers have resumed on-campus learning, including tutorials, workshops, libraries and practical requirements with COVID-safe arrangements.

Most education providers will continue to provide online classes and support for those who are unable to commence or resume their studies next year in Western Australia. Check with your institution regarding their specific arrangements.

You can read more about the most recent entry requirements on the Department of WA Government's dedicated G2G website.

Western Australia is renowned for its diverse and welcoming community, and Perth was recently declared one of the world’s friendliest cities. Our universities, colleges, schools, StudyPerth and the Western Australian Government are committed to students’ safety, enjoyment and wellbeing during their time in Western Australia.

StudyPerth’s Airport Welcome Service will be reactivated once the Western Australian borders reopen. When students arrive in Perth, they will be greeted by our friendly airport greeters and will be provided with advice, information and a StudyPerth Welcome Pack to help them settle into their new home away from home!

To assist this transition, StudyPerth also offers free support services to international students, which can be accessed both online and in-person.

International students are required to have health insurance.

To provide further reassurance and to support the Western Australian health response to COVID- 19, the Minister for Health has confirmed that people who are not eligible for Medicare and who present to Western Australia Health facilities for assessment in relation to COVID-19 infection, will not be charged out-of-pocket expenses.

In the uncertainty of these times, Australia’s focus on minimising the risks of COVID-19 means international students can be more confident of their experience here than just about anywhere else in the world.

The Western Australian Government is committed to the safety and wellbeing of everyone in the Western Australian community.

All costs associated with travel will be borne by returning current and prospective international students as has always been the case. As quarantine will not be required for fully vaccinated international students, no extra costs are anticipated. 

StudyPerth will ensure international students have easy fast-tracked access to information, support and services at every stage of their safe return to Western Australia.

Clear and accurate information will be provided to international students through their education provider and via the StudyPerth website, social media (Facebook and Instagram) and our mailing list. 

We also recommend you visit the WA Government's COVID-19 Information Hub to keep informed.