WA’s quarantine restrictions have been loosened ahead of the border opening on February 5 in a major win for businesses struggling to hire staff in a tight labour market.

The State Government now says that double-dose vaccinated travellers who test negative for COVID-19 in hotel quarantine can move to self-quarantine at ‘suitable premises’ on day eight of their stay to complete their 14 days of quarantine.

This means that if your business can get workers from overseas or another state into WA, those employees only have to spend the first half of their quarantine in a hotel and can self-isolate for the remainder of the time in a household situation.

There are various conditions people will have to meet, however:

• Travellers must record negative PCR results from tests on day one and six in hotel quarantine to be able to complete the remainder of their 14 days of quarantine in self-isolation at a suitable premise.
• From day eight, once in self-quarantine travellers must do a PCR test on days nine and 12, and all members of their household, if any, will also be required to do a PCR test on the traveller’s day 12.
• If the traveller returns a positive PCR result on day nine, members of their household, if any, will also be required to do a PCR test on day 10.
• All members of the household must self-quarantine and use G2G Now monitoring until the traveller’s 14-day quarantine period is completed.
• Travellers will only be able to finish self-quarantine on day 14 if they and members of their household, if any, return a negative PCR test result on day 12.

The new quarantine arrangements apply to international arrivals and domestic travellers from ‘extreme’ risk jurisdictions and are subject to change if required.

CCIWA CEO Chris Rodwell said the new rules were an important step towards safely transitioning our border settings on February 5.

“Through the pandemic, CCIWA has consistently worked to support more space being created in our quarantine system, to help safely ease workforce pressures. These more practical isolation settings are a welcome step,” Rodwell said.

“We need more skilled workers to come to WA to help meet the demand of our economy. This announcement will mean people can spend less time in hotel quarantine, and more time safely isolating at home.”

For general advice on your individual situation call CCIWA’s Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or via [email protected].  

For legal advice specific to your situation, contact our team of Workplace Relations lawyers on (08) 9365 7746 or via [email protected].