Coronavirus preventing expat travellers from working

Whilst the world media’s focus on the worsening infection and death numbers is fully justifiable, expats whose businesses depend on international travel are feeling the pain.

With most of China now shut off from international travellers by flight cancellations total travel bans, many other countries are now banning incomers who’ve recently visited countries with confirmed cases and expat professionals who need to travel on business are left wondering what to do next. Those due to travel to a new country due to reassignment are in a similar position as even more infections surface in major expat hubs.

Regulations vary country to country, with Australia banning entry for 14 days after arrival for passengers from mainland China and those who’ve transited via China. Australian citizens and their families who’ve been in China recently must self-quarantine for 14 days. Hong Kong is quarantining all those who’ve arrived from the mainland, including its own residents, and Victoria Harbour’s cruise terminal is being closed down. Border crossings on the mainland are also closed.

Japan is banning entry to all travellers who’ve been in China’s Hubei province, with its Prime Minister saying further action on curbs to immigration are under consideration. All residents in Saudi Arabia are now banned from travelling to China, and expats returning from the country will be banned from entry. South Korea has also banned all visitors or residents who’ve been in Hubei over the past 14 days, and Taiwan is now banning entry to all Chinese residents with the exception of those from Macau and Hong Kong.

The USA has now barred entry to foreigners who’ve recently been in China, with the exception of USA citizens’ immediate family members or permanent residents. Vietnam has banned all foreigners who’ve been in China over the past two weeks, with some 900 people now in quarantine. New Zealand is now refusing entry to all travellers from China, and the Philippines has increased its earlier travel ban to include visitors from China including Hong Kong and Macau as well as banning travel to the three destinations.