New Zealand’s Plan to Reconnect with the World

The New Zealand Government has announced the framework for re-opening borders. Here’s a summary of what we know so far:

• Vaccine rollout will speed up.
• Phased approach to restarting international travel.
• From first quarter of 2022, individual risk-based border settings will establish low, medium, and high-risk pathways into the country.
• Elimination retained as best strategy to keep COVID out and economy open.

? Low-Risk Pathway – quarantine-free entry for vaccinated travellers who have been in low-risk countries (this is how the currently suspended trans-Tasman travel bubble with Australia has been working).

? Medium-Risk Pathway – combination of self-isolation and/or reduced MIQ for vaccinated travellers who have been in medium risk countries. The Government is running a self-isolation pilot test later this year.

? High-Risk Pathway – continuation of full 14 days in MIQ and testing for unvaccinated travellers and any traveller, including vaccinated travellers, who have been in very high risk or high-risk countries.

– Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister

Response from ANZUK Education

For us at ANZUK Education, it’s promising to see the work being done by the New Zealand government to open our borders. This is an exciting next step in being able to support more overseas-trained teachers coming to the country.

I’m very proud of New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the hard and fast approach saw us opening schools and businesses sooner and for longer periods than most other countries. At the same time, I know the border closures lead to unfortunate cancellations and disruptions to travel plans for many overseas educators.

Our working relationship with the Ministry of Education and Immigration New Zealand continues to give us pathways to advocate for overseas teachers to supply our client schools and centres.

I look forward to the day we can welcome our network of incredible overseas teachers to New Zealand.