Australian education sector lobbies for international student vaccination passports

Stakeholders in Australia's education sector are lobbying for entry for international students into Australia as part of a ‘vaccination passport’ arrangement. This would permit international students to enter Australia if they can provide proof of having been vaccinated prior to boarding their flight. International students have been unable to enter the country since Australia closed its border in 2020 amid COVID-19. The federal education minister recently said that the country won’t see a return of international students en masse until 2022.
Recent delays in Australia’s vaccination rollout have raised concerns about added delays in the return of international students. Stakeholders are warning that international students have lost patience and are looking to change their study destination. This may lead to long-term implications for universities, students and the Australian economy. States of New South Wales, SA and Victoria have increased efforts to expedite return of international students. It is anticipated that an already vaccinated student would still be required to undertake 14 days quarantine on arrival in Australia.