new border entry exceptions for holders of certain types of work and resident visas

Immigration Law update from Lane Neave...

On 8 October 2020 Immigration New Zealand (INZ) finally published the long awaited amendments to New Zealand’s border restriction policies to allow the holders of certain types of visas to return to New Zealand through the closed border. The amendment comes in force today, 9 October 2020.

To be eligible a person must:

• Have held an Entrepreneur, Work to Residence, or Essential Skills work visa (mid or higher skilled; or based on employment assessed as being paid at or above the median wage) when the person departed New Zealand; and
• Continue to hold a valid visa, or have applied for a further visa that allows them to work in the same job or operate the same business as when they were in New Zealand; and
• Have maintained their job or business while outside New Zealand and continue to hold that same job, or operate that same business; and
• Have departed New Zealand between 1 December 2019 and 9 October 2020; and
• Meet certain ‘time in’ New Zealand requirements.

Partners and dependent children can also be included if they currently hold, or held at the time of departing New Zealand, a visitor, work or student visa based on their relationship to the main applicant qualifying above. Any dependent children born on or after 1 December 2019 can also be included.

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