Seasonal workers from Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will be able to enter New Zealand from next month. This would be one way, entering New Zealand only, and they would not need to go through managed isolation.
Seasonal workers from Sāmoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will be able to enter New Zealand from next month.
This would be one-way corridor, entering New Zealand only, and they would not need to go through the standard two-week managed isolation.
Today's announcement has "really delighted" the fruit growing industry that was desperate for picking staff.
The move was aimed at addressing worker shortages in certain agricultural areas, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at her weekly post-Cabinet press conference.
There are normally about 14,400 RSE workers a year, but the pandemic and border restrictions have cut that workforce in half.
This move would help manage the shortfall, Ardern said.
It was too early to say how many workers would enter the country from September.
Those Pacific island nations had not experienced community Covid outbreaks, and any cases they had recorded were managed at their borders, Ardern said.
Like the 2000 RSE workers brought in last year the same conditions - including paying at least the living wage and providing appropriate accommodation - would be enforced.
The option was only being made available to certain workers so it could be done in a safe way.
Apples and Pears CEO Alan Pollard said he was "really delighted" for the Pacific nations as they had "suffered terribly through the pandemic" and without the income RSE workers to New Zealand bring to their communities.
"Delighted that they're going to be able to have an opportunity participate back in the workforce here and return those much-needed funds back to their community."
The announcement also brings some certainty to growers for the coming season.
"It was a dreadful season for us, last season growers were stressed and distressed and were facing the uncertainty of what next season might look like.
"Opening up the one-way quarantine free travel from those three countries some time in September is a huge change."
Seasonal workers from Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will be able to enter New Zealand to work from September. Photo / Warren Buckland
Ardern said New Zealand was in a position to open up to RSE workers due to its Covid-19-free status, and that of the countries involved.
There would be measures including pre-departure and on-arrival testing, she said.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said representatives from Sāmoa, Tonga and Vanuatu were very pleased with the arrangements.
There had been regular discussion with horticulture and viticulture industries and Faafoi said he was pleased to be able to announce these changes that would assist them.
Pressure has been mounting on the Government from employers in sectors reliant on overseas workers, after immigration was essentially shut down as part of the Covid-19 response.
The Government has been seeking to rebalance the workforce and reduce the reliance on migrant labour, encouraging employers to train up Kiwis and increase wages to attract more people.
More than 250,000 Covid-19 vaccinations were administered last week in New Zealand.
This included more than 15,000 at the Manukau mass vaccination event, which was "a success", though lessons would be learned, Ardern said.
On emergency managed isolation allocations and a New Zealander stuck in Singapore who travelled there for life-extending surgery, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said he would not publicly discuss an individual's case.
