COVID-19: Government restricts outbound travel

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The Department of Home Affairs has added outbound travel restrictions to its COVID-19 policies.

What does the change mean? As of March 25 at noon AEDT, Australian citizens and permanent residents are restricted from traveling overseas. Limited exemptions apply.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate.
• Affected travelers: Australian citizens and permanent residents.
• Business impact: Businesses should anticipate delays and postponement of travel for affected employees.
• Next steps: Australian citizens and permanent residents should postpone overseas travel unless they fall under an exempt category.

Exemptions:

• Those who ordinarily reside in a foreign country.
• Those whose travel is associated with essential work at offshore facilities.
• Air and maritime crews and related safety workers.
• Those engaged in day-to-day movement of outbound and inbound freight.
• Those traveling on official government business, including members of the Australian Defence Force.

Analysis & Comments: Employers should identify travelers affected by the new outbound travel restrictions and postpone travel if necessary. Those who believe they fall under an exempt category should consult their Deloitte contacts to explore in further detail.

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