The Victorian Government has confirmed that international students arriving in Melbourne under the Government’s Student Arrivals Plan do not have to quarantine, provided they can demonstrate to the Commonwealth they meet vaccination conditions.

Minister for Trade Martin Pakula said the Commonwealth has been formally advised that the Plan has been updated to reflect standard entry requirements for fully-vaccinated international travellers, including international students, in place since 1 November.

International arrivals will need to demonstrate their vaccination status to the Commonwealth with a vaccine registered or recognised by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. Arrivals must also comply with all relevant Commonwealth entry requirements, including visas and travel exemptions.

In order to enter Victoria without quarantine, international arrivals must comply with the Victorian Government’s testing requirements, including testing negative to COVID-19 within 72 hours of their departure.

The International Student Arrivals Plan was endorsed by the Commonwealth Government last month, with the first group of international students planned to arrive in December. Under the Plan, priority has been given to students who need to return to Victoria to do practical work, including research, health and medical students.

The Plan provides for the safe return to study in Victoria for international students, and a pipeline for continued arrivals through 2022. Around 49,000 international students enrolled with Victorian education providers remain offshore due to border closures while about 70,000 are currently in Victoria.

International education is a critical services export and jobs provider for Victoria, contributing a peak of $13.7 billion to the state’s economy and supporting around 79,000 Victorian jobs prior to the pandemic.

To remain connected to offshore students, the Victorian Government has established Study Melbourne Hubs in Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City, and virtually in India and Latin America. The hubs provide offshore international students with support and study facilities and promote Victoria as a study destination.

More information about the Plan is available at coronavirus.vic.gov.au/international-student-arrivals-plan.