Either Rita Ora's rep for flouting COVID rules precedes her, or she just flew into a country that takes health protocols so seriously ... it forced her into immediate quarantine.

The singer flew into Sydney Monday, and video shows her getting intercepted by a gaggle of airport cops the second she stepped off the plane. Rita and her many, many bags were ushered away to a hotel ... where she'll reportedly shelter-in-place for 14 days before being allowed to go about her biz with native Aussies.

Rita's down there for a gig as a judge on "The Voice" -- let's hope they worked her 2 weeks of isolation into the shoot schedule.

To be clear, Rita's lockdown isn't Australia dropping the hammer on her in particular. The quarantine is mandatory for all incoming travelers from pretty much anywhere besides New Zealand.

So, no ... officials weren't sticking it to Rita because of her recent 'rona screw-up in the UK.

Remember, she held a moderately-sized party for her 30th birthday -- and paid around $7,000 to make it happen ... this despite London being on lockdown at the time. She apologized for it, but it was a PR nightmare.