New Zealand to fully reopen borders, welcome skilled workers
By NICK PERRY May 11, 2022
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand will reopen its borders to tourists from all countries by July, allow back cruise ships and make it easier for skilled workers to immigrate as it looks outward to the world again following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said Wednesday.
New Zealand imposed some of the world’s strictest border controls when COVID-19 first hit more than two years ago. That allowed the nation of 5 million to eliminate several virus outbreaks and get vaccination rates up before the omicron variant swept through this year.
New Zealand’s coronavirus death toll has remained far below that of almost every other developed nation. But as the pandemic has dragged on, New Zealand’s border measures have increasingly appeared outdated as other countries have reopened.
New Zealand has been slowly reopening, first to Australians last month and then to tourists from the U.S., Britain and more than 50 other countries earlier this month. Wednesday’s announcement will allow tourists from China, India and other countries to come starting July 31.
The government said it also planned to end the need for people to get predeparture COVID-19 tests by the end of July.
But in a sign that the virus continues to disrupt daily life, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern did not make the announcement in person at a business lunch in Auckland as she had planned, but instead spoke via video link from her residence in Wellington where she is isolating.
Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand's border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)
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Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand's border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand will reopen its borders to tourists from all countries by July, allow back cruise ships and make it easier for skilled workers to immigrate as it looks outward to the world again following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said Wednesday.
New Zealand imposed some of the world’s strictest border controls when COVID-19 first hit more than two years ago. That allowed the nation of 5 million to eliminate several virus outbreaks and get vaccination rates up before the omicron variant swept through this year.
New Zealand’s coronavirus death toll has remained far below that of almost every other developed nation. But as the pandemic has dragged on, New Zealand’s border measures have increasingly appeared outdated as other countries have reopened.
New Zealand has been slowly reopening, first to Australians last month and then to tourists from the U.S., Britain and more than 50 other countries earlier this month. Wednesday’s announcement will allow tourists from China, India and other countries to come starting July 31.
The government said it also planned to end the need for people to get predeparture COVID-19 tests by the end of July.
But in a sign that the virus continues to disrupt daily life, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern did not make the announcement in person at a business lunch in Auckland as she had planned, but instead spoke via video link from her residence in Wellington where she is isolating.
Ardern has also been signaling the country’s reopening plans with trips abroad, including a recent trip to Singapore and Japan and an upcoming trip to the U.S.
More:
https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-new-zealand-8400c415255abcb6996818caa61746ac