Opening NZ’s Borders – The Devil in the Detail
The Government has just announced a five-step plan to reopen New Zealand’s borders, starting on 27 February. It’s great news that will bring a lot of relief to New Zealand citizens stuck overseas.
The Government has just announced a five-step plan to reopen New Zealand’s borders, starting on 27 February. It’s great news that will bring a lot of relief to New Zealand citizens stuck overseas.
Border exemptions for some skilled workers seems like a quick fix, but with no clear plan, it could be a disaster. Read immigration lawyer Aaron Martin’s opinion on the latest announcement from INZ.
On 24 November, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins outlined a reopening plan for New Zealand’s international borders, which have been closed since the start of the pandemic in early 2020.
The NZ government announces plans to trial modified isolation instead of MIQ but has yet to say who will pay to quarantine incoming offshore workers.
Immigration New Zealand has just announced it will be refunding all fees and levies for visa applications that cannot be processed because of covid restrictions.
This affects around 50,000 temporary visas on hand including visitor, student and work visas.
Thousands of rooms in managed isolation facilities will be available for seasonal workers, skilled migrants, international students, and refugees in the coming months. This will accelerate Covid-19 recovery and fulfil labour shortages in several sectors.
Starting 30 April, the New Zealand government will make exceptions to COVID border restrictions for the families of certain temporary visa holders already in New Zealand. We explain the latest update.
Now that the gateway to Australia is set to open, employers will be able to invite work visa holders from across the ditch. Principle lawyer Aaron Martin explains the opportunites.
Don’t miss important announcements from INZ, the media, and our blog. In our monthly recap, we summarise all the immigration news you need to know for November 2020.