Govt announces NZ border exceptions

Photo: ODT files
Photo: ODT files
The Government has announced a suite of major changes to New Zealand's immigration rules which ministers say will help New Zealand families reunite, without increasing the risk of Covid-19.

The requirement for partners and dependants of New Zealand citizens and residents to travel together to return home has been removed.

And the Government has announced it will introduce short term and long term criteria for Other Essential Workers requests.

This means exemptions will be granted for two syndicate teams who will challenge Emirates Team New Zealand for the 36th America's Cup.

The US Challenger, team American Magic, will bring a total of 102 workers, along with 104 family members, to New Zealand, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford said.

He added that INEOS Team UK – the other team granted an exemption – would bring in a total of 86 workers and 128 family members and one nanny.

The syndicates are expected to be in New Zealand for up to ten months.

"The Government and Auckland Council have made significant commitments and investments in building infrastructure for the event," he said.

"The America's Cup would not be able to go ahead unless these international syndicate teams are allowed entry into New Zealand."

He said that approving these border exemptions allow the teams to start setting up their bases, and carry on key design and boat testing that can be progressed from our shores in New Zealand," Twyford said.

In terms of the criteria for an essential worker, the Government has separated that into two time frames: Short term (less than six months) and long term (more than six months).

For short term, the worker must have "unique and technical or specialist skills that are not obtainable in New Zealand". They must also be working on a major project, such as infrastructure, which is time critical.

For long term workers, they must be earning twice the medium salary, have a role that is essential for the completion or continuation of science programmes, or have a role that is essential for the delivery or execution of a government approved even, such as the America's Cup.

The new essential worker rules are targeted at bringing "high value workers" who would contribute to "projects of national or regional significance" into the country.

Twyford said the threshold remains "very high".

This high bar would help stop the spread of Covid-19 and protect the health of people already in New Zealand, Twyford said.

"Businesses should ensure no alternative options are available before applying."

The diplomatic exception, which allows re-entry to those who normally live here, is also being expanded to include diplomats taking up new posts in New Zealand, Twyford said.

And maritime vessels "where there is a compelling need" will be allowed entry.

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway added that everyone coming in would still need to do 14 days of managed isolation or quarantine.

He said the Government was working within its current capacity of 3200 for the facilities run by the Ministry of Health.

Twyford said the maritime exception would allow ship entry to those arriving from sea, where there is a "compelling need" for the ship to travel to New Zealand.

The border restrictions would not apply to replacement cargo ship crew arriving in New Zealand by air and transferring straight to a cargo ship to leave New Zealand.

Officials are working to implement these changes as quickly as possible and Government expect the changes to partners, other essential workers and diplomats will be in effect by the end of next week, with the maritime changes in place later in June.

Trying to get in

Immigration NZ estimates that, as of May 27, there were 10,062 people with a current work visa who may be "ordinarily resident in New Zealand", but who were stuck outside of New Zealand.

They included: 2950 people with an "essential skills" visa, 2772 people with a post-study work visa, 298 people with partnership visas, 124 people who were partners of temporary visa holders, 2436 people with a variety of other work visas, 1401 people who were partners of a worker, 33 people with an investment visa, and 48 people with visas for humanitarian work.

As of 10 June, there had been 15,331 requests for a border exception; 2914 were invited to apply for a visa, and 2456 visa applications were approved.

Of those, 2372 people made border exemption requests as essential workers, and 237 individuals were invited to apply for a visa (around 10 percent of all approvals).

Up until May 28, 10,224 people have lodged an Expression of Interest to come to New Zealand and were declined; 4918 people for family reasons, 2457 people for humanitarian reasons, 486 people saying they were essential health workers, 1802 people saying they were essential non-health workers, 496 Australians and 65 Tongan or Samoans.

In that same period, 2760 people were invited to apply for a visa; 1630 for family reasons, 276 for humanitarian reasons, 513 health workers, 151 essential non-health workers, 180 Australians and 10 Tongan or Samoans.

Essential worker criteria

An 'Other Essential Worker' is someone who an employer can demonstrate meets the following criteria:

For a short-term role (less than six months):

• The worker must have unique experience and technical or specialist skills that are not obtainable in New Zealand, or

• The work must be significant in terms of a major infrastructure project, or event of national or regional importance, or government approved programme, or in support of a government-to-government agreement, or have significant benefit to the national or regional economy, AND

• The role must be time critical (eg if the person does not come to New Zealand, the project, work or event will cease or be severely compromised, or significant costs will be incurred).

For a longer-term role (more than six months), the worker must:

• meet one of the short-term criteria AND

• earn twice the median salary (as an indicator of high skills), or

• have a role that is essential for the completion or continuation of science programmes under a government funded or partially government-funded contract, including research and development exchanges and partnerships.

• have a role that is essential for the delivery or execution of a government approved event, or programme that is of major significance to New Zealand.