Australia's chief nurse has denied plans are afoot to allow business travellers to return to Australia too, despite Health Minister Greg Hunt saying a pathway was being developed for them to enter the country.
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Mr Hunt told the ABC's Insiders program work was being done on "two pathways" for key groups such as business travellers and international students to reenter Australia, following the coronavirus pandemic.
"One is to use our quarantine system with international students and appropriately with people who are delivering national benefit whether it is in business or other areas," Mr Hunt said.
"Secondly, where we can have a safe relationship with another country and you mentioned New Zealand before and New Zealand is at the top of the list, having a non-quarantine approach which will open up borders.
"There is more work to be done, but both of those pathways to bring back people safely and where there is a COVIDSafe country such as New Zealand, the capacity to open up those borders once our domestic borders are opened up."
However Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan said it was too early to speculate on when border restrictions would ease.
"We have been seeing some reports in the media, suggesting there are some plans to change the restrictions, the travel restrictions and quarantine requirements for business travellers from overseas," Ms McMillan said.
"I have to say that while we are constantly reviewing the travel restrictions and the quarantine requirements for overseas travellers, there is no plans at this time to change the requirements for international business travel to Australia. The travel restrictions remain in place.
"There are some early discussions about the possibility of the return of international students but at this point in time, there are no current dates planned for that."
It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the ACT would lead a pilot program for reintroducing international students into Australia, after coronavirus travel bans stopped thousands from resuming their studies on campus.
Students who were pre-approved to study at particular institutions could be welcomed as early as next month, with strict quarantine entry arrangements and biosecurity measures in place.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said students would arrive in the hundreds, rather than thousands.
"I'm confident that given we have not closed our borders to other Australians that we are the best-placed jurisdiction to manage that first international student pilot back into Australia," Mr Barr said.
