Hot on the heels of a recent testing relaxation for travellers heading to Sydney and New South Wales, the Queensland Government has confirmed that international arrivals will also no longer be obliged to take a COVID-19 test after landing in the state from 30th June 2022.
This means that no isolation will be required when you arrive in Brisbane, Cairns or Gold Coast from overseas, so you can get on with your trip immediately. It also makes Singapore – Queensland trips completely test-free and quarantine-free for fully vaccinated travellers, in both directions.
Queensland has been one of the last states to retain its own on-arrival testing requirement, despite the Commonwealth Government mandate for pre-departure testing when travelling to Australia being abolished back in April 2022.
This development leaves South Australia as the only Australian state with direct international flights imposing mandatory on-arrival testing for overseas travellers.
Queensland on-arrival testing scrapped
If you arrive in Queensland from overseas on or before 0.59am on 30th June 2022, you will still be required to:
- Go straight to your home or accommodation
- Take a RAT (ART) test using an approved kit within 24 hours
- Isolate until a negative result had been obtained
- Follow the state’s seven-day isolation protocol if your test is positive (no reporting for negative results)
For arrivals from 1am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) on 30th June 2022, it will no longer be necessary to take a COVID-19 test on arrival in Queensland, removing these requirements.
“From 1am AEST Thursday 30 June, international arrivals will no longer be required to take a COVID-19 test on arrival into Queensland.”
Queensland Government
Pre-departure testing was axed in April
The removal of on-arrival testing in Queensland next week comes two months after a wider national removal of the Commonwealth Government requirement for a pre-departure test for fully vaccinated travellers heading to Australia from overseas.
This test has not been required since 18th April 2022, which coincided with Australia ending its two-year biosecurity emergency period.
Almost immediately following the change, Western Australia and Victoria ditched their mandatory post-arrival testing in April 2022, with New South Wales only recently following.
Queensland arrival process
Here’s how the process now looks for travellers to fly internationally into Queensland from Singapore, or from other countries with direct flights.
- Meet Commonwealth Government requirements (eVisa) to enter Australia
- Be fully vaccinated under the Commonwealth Government requirements, unless exempt
- Complete the Digital Passenger Declaration within seven days of departure
Children are considered fully vaccinated travellers for entry into Australia, regardless of their actual vaccination status if:
- They are aged 11 years old or under, or
- They are aged 12 to 17 years and are travelling with at least one adult (aged 18+) who is fully vaccinated
See the latest full list of requirements for international travellers arriving in Queensland here.
On-arrival testing in other states
Despite a relaxation in Queensland from 30th June 2022, South Australia (Adelaide) still enforces on-arrival testing at the time of writing.
Luckily this is can now be in the form of a self-swab antigen (ART / RAT) test, or a PCR if you prefer, with self-isolation required until the test is taken.
Hopefully South Australia will follow suit with other states soon, and remove its on-arrival test mandate, which would give us a streamlined arrival procedure across Australia in terms of testing (or a lack thereof!).
What about the ACT and Tasmania?
There are currently no international flights to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) or Tasmania, so you will have to fly to another city (probably Melbourne or Sydney), then take a domestic flight to Canberra or Tasmania, with no further testing required.
If you did not undergo an on-arrival test in a different state before travelling to the ACT (e.g. having arrived in Sydney, where it is no longer required), you are encouraged to take an ART test within 24 hours, though this is not mandatory.
Summary
Despite clinging on to arrival testing for a couple of months after the Commonwealth Government ditched mandatory pre-departure swabs, the last few states in Australia seem to finally be relaxing the requirement, with Queensland the latest to do so from 30th June 2022.
This will allow for an almost pre-COVID travel experience, where you’re free to get on with your trip as soon as you step out of the airport.
It leaves only South Australia still requiring an on-arrival test, but hopefully there will be good news coming from there soon.
(Cover Photo: City of Gold Coast)