Australia reopens borders for skilled workers and students
Skilled workers and foreign students, with the complete covid-19 vaccine scheme, can enter Australia from this Wednesday (15th), after nearly two years of border closure due to the pandemic.
Partial reopening was scheduled for the beginning of this month, but the discovery of the Ômicron variant of the coronavirus prompted authorities to postpone the measure for two weeks.
"We have to live with the virus. We are not going to back down. We have one of the highest vaccination rates, so we can fight the strain. We are not going to give up," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an interview.
Australia, which has istered complete vaccine guidance to about 90% of the population over 16, began a slow reopening in November after strict confinement.
The relaxation of border measures aims to alleviate the shortage of workers, especially in the mining and agriculture sectors.
Education is also an important driver for the country, with universities estimating losses from closing the border at US$2.8 billion, mainly due to a drop in the number of foreign students.
About 235,000 foreigners have visas to enter the country, 133,000 of which are students, according to government data.
"We really miss your presence and we couldn't be more pleased to welcome you back as of today," Universities of Australia executive director Catriona Jackson told Channel 7.
Australia also launched an unquarantined travel bubble with Japan and South Korea.
The oceanic country, with 25 million inhabitants, has accumulated 231,000 infections and about 2,072 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, very low numbers compared to other countries of similar size.
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
