Most business travellers from the UK are no longer considered as exemptions to the rules on allowable international travel, the government has announced.
On Friday, the government said that the travel corridors which allowed returning travellers to avoid quarantine would close at 4am on Monday 18 January. The timing coincides with the delayed introduction of a requirement for PCR tests for arrivals into the country.
However, even under the previous corridors scheme, there was an exemption for general travel for work purposes.
The government has now announced: “A number of exemptions to the travel corridor policy - including the need to travel for business - will be suspended from 4am on Monday 18 January, unless they are vital to maintaining the flow of critical goods, protecting essential services, protecting national security or facilitating government work.”
It has also specified the roles and industry sectors which no longer qualify:
- advertising productions
- business directors bringing jobs and investment to the UK
- journalists
- National Lottery
- performing arts professionals
- television production
- high-end television production and film
- ornamental horticulture workers
There still remains a limited number of roles, including offshore oil and gas workers and elite sportspeople, which still qualify for an exemption.
The new measures will be reviewed on 15 February.
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