International travellers and aircrew arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer need to isolate for 72 hours, with New South Wales and Victoria agreeing to introduce consistent COVID-19 requirements for people arriving from overseas.

From the beginning of Tuesday, 21 December all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW and Victoria will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours after arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. Under existing arrangements they are also required to produce a negative pre-departure test, within three days of boarding their flight.

Previously, all fully vaccinated international arrivals in both NSW and Victoria had to get a test as soon as possible and isolate for 72 hours regardless of when they received their negative test result.

The 72-hour isolation period is no longer required, and those arrivals and aircrew already in isolation may leave once they receive a negative PCR test. NSW arrivals must also comply with the NSW Health Guidelines for Recent Fully Vaccinated Arrivals and get a follow-up test on Day 6 after their arrival. Arrivals in Victoria must also get a PCR test between days five and seven after arrival.

Any passengers arriving from overseas into NSW and Victoria aged 18 years and over who are not considered fully vaccinated must still go directly into 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine.

With both states achieving high double vaccination rates and rapidly rolling out booster vaccination programs, the introduction of new streamlined arrivals processes will simplify and clarify the process for travellers, airlines and airports.