After nearly two years of closing borders due to pandemic, Australia announces reopening from today for skilled workers and overseas students only, with covid-19 vaccine scheme complete.

According to Australian authorities, the partial reopening was scheduled to take place earlier this month, but the discovery of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus led to the measure being postponed for two weeks.

"We have to live with the virus. We're not going to back down. We have one of the highest vaccination rates, so we can fight [the variant]. We're not going to give up," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison annointed in an interview with broadcaster 4BC.

Scott Morrison revealed that the easing of border measures is aimed at alleviating the shortage of workers, especially in the mining and agricultural sectors.

The authorities also consider education to be an important driver for the country, with universities estimating losses from the border closure at $2.8 billion, mainly due to a drop in the number of foreign students.

"We really missed their presence and couldn't be more pleased to welcome them back starting today," Universities Australia CEO Catriona Jackson told Channel 7.