The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to people looking to move overseas as countries have been forced to close their borders in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. While this may sound like any international move is currently impossible, the reality is that moving abroad is still achievable, it’s just a lot more limited and potentially risky than before. However, if your circumstances present a compelling reason for moving to another country and you make sure to follow the guidelines set in place, then your dream of living and working overseas can very much come true.
Australia’s Current Travel Restrictions
As of August 2021, the Australian Government has banned its citizens and permanent residents from travelling overseas, unless they can successfully apply for an outbound travel exemption. These are given to people who can prove that their international move is for exceptional circumstances such as moving for work, for national interests, to provide aid in response to COVID-19, or on compassionate grounds.
Currently, the only country exempt from the travel ban is New Zealand. However, since recent COVID cases have risen in Australia, the quarantine-free bubble between the two countries has been suspended, pending the situation improving.
Safety Tips for Moving During the Pandemic
While there is an inherent risk to moving overseas in the middle of a global pandemic, there are precautions that you can take in order to ensure you are giving yourself and your loved ones the best protection possible.
To begin, you should carefully research the COVID-19 situation in your destination country to determine how they have handled the spread of the virus and what particular cities or regions have been most affected. This information is constantly changing as new clusters of cases can appear within a very short period of time, meaning you should consistently be checking right up until your moving day. You should also look into that country’s healthcare system and vaccination rollout as you will no longer be covered by Australia’s health policies once you move overseas.
Speaking of vaccines, several countries will only allow you entry if you have already been administered both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. In Australia, overseas travellers under the age of 50 are currently eligible for the vaccine, so check to see if you can receive it before you move.
Those entry requirements are also different from country to country. Visit the government’s Smart Traveller website to keep up to date with the travel advice and restrictions for each country. However, be prepared to take COVID-19 tests, be in quarantine for up to 14 days, and have all the usual documentation ready such as visas and passports.
Conclusion
As with everything, safely moving overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic comes down to careful planning and preparation well in advance of your actual move. This isn’t easy, as the pandemic can change a country’s border restrictions in the blink of an eye, but you’ll want to have all your t’s crossed and i’s dotted by the time you board the plane. This virus has gotten in the way of countless people’s plans to move abroad since its global outbreak in early 2020, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to move internationally while it’s still in the community. As long as you have a good reason for moving and follow the government’s restrictions, then you can still find yourself living and working in a brand new country.
