Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes Australia can reopen to visa holders by Christmas as more information emerges about the Omicron COVID-19 variant and vaccine efficacy.
The return of international students and other visa holders had been pushed back to December 15 over concerns about the strain that appears to be more transmissible but cause less severe illness.
"Yes, it is," Mr Morrison told 2GB radio when asked whether Australia's international reopening was tracking well for Christmas following Friday's national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders.
"We're just taking some final bits of information."
He urged premiers and chief ministers not to shut their borders as Omicron cases continued to rise.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Source: AAP
Mr Morrison cited as positive signs South Australia's decision to tighten border controls for some interstate arrivals instead of shutting them out altogether, and Queensland's move to reopen to people from hotspot areas on Monday.
"The severity of this (Omicron) virus is so far not presenting to be worse than what happened with Delta," the prime minister said.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly advised national cabinet it was still early days for Australia's understanding of the Omicron variant.
Leaders agreed to continue considering international border settings consistent with a suppression strategy and as more evidence emerged about Omicron's severity, transmissibility and the efficacy of vaccines against it.
Infections are on the rise in NSW, which reported 516 new cases — its highest daily caseload in two months.
Victoria recorded 1,206 daily infections and two more deaths.
The ACT detected six additional cases and the Northern Territory four. There were six locally acquired cases in Queensland.
Australia's 16-plus full vaccination rate sits at 88.9 per cent.
The federal government has extended the biosecurity emergency period for a further two months to February 17.
This will enable the continuation of mandatory pre-departure testing and mask-wearing for international flights, restrictions on international travel from high-risk countries, limits on outbound international travel for unvaccinated Australians and restrictions on the entry of cruise vessels.
