International Border & MIQ: 5-Step Plan to Reopen

Rāpare, 3 Hui-tanguru / Thursday, 3 February 2022

The New Zealand border is set to reopen in five stages, from 11:59PM, 27 February, 2022, as follows:

STEP ONE: From 11:59pm Sunday 27 February 2022

Border extended to include:

Fully vaccinated Kiwis and other currently eligible travellers from Australia will be able to travel to New Zealand, and instead of going into MIQ, will be able to self-isolate.

STEP TWO: From 11:59pm on Sunday 13 March 2022

Border extended to include:

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other currently eligible travellers from the rest of the world will also be able to travel into New Zealand without going through MIQ.

There will also be an expanded border exception for critical workers, and skilled workers earning at least 1.5 times the median wage, who will also be eligible to enter New Zealand, along with highly skilled workers’ family members who may have been separated from their loved ones. (* screen sector eligibility TBC)

STEP THREE: 11:59pm Tuesday 12 April 2022

Border extended to include:

International student cohort of up to 5,000 students for entry ahead of semester 2.
Temporary visa holders who still meet relevant visa requirements.

STEP FOUR: Date TBC * By July 2022

Border extended to include:

Australian travellers and all other visitors and business travellers who can normally enter New Zealand without a visa.
Those on the new Accredited Employer Work Visa will open including for workers offshore.

The critical worker border exception will be removed.
The new work visa will be mainly available to workers earning over the median wage as part of the Immigration Rebalance changes.

STEP FIVE: Date TBC * By October 2022

Border extended to include:

All other visitors and students who require a visa to enter New Zealand, with normal visa processing resuming.

ISOLATION REQUIREMENTS:

All fully vaccinated International Border travellers instead of entering MIQ, will be expected to:

Follow broadly the same requirements in New Zealand for close contacts at the time of their travel.

Currently, returning New Zealanders need to self-isolate for 10 days. As the isolation period drops for close contacts in New Zealand in phase two of the Omicron response, returnees only need to self-isolate for 7 days.

MIQ to remain for the unvaccinated.

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