Passengers arrive from New Zealand after the Trans-Tasman travel bubble opened overnight, following an extended border closure due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, October 16, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)

Vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents living in New South Wales, Victoria and the capital Canberra will be free to fly internationally from Monday without the need of an exemption or to quarantine upon return. For now, however, only tourists from neighbouring New Zealand will be allowed into Australia, provided they are vaccinated.

Australia closed its borders at the start of the pandemic, allowing only a limited number of citizens and permanent residents to return from abroad, subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a hotel at their own expense.

Over 80% of people 16 and older in New South Wales, Victoria and Canberra are fully vaccinated - a condition for the resumption of international travel - meaning that some 14 million Australians will be free to leave and re-enter the country if they are fully vaccinated.