H5.15 Approval in principle for other critical workers to travel to New Zealand (18/06/2020)

1. The employers or supporting agency of a person whose critical purpose to travel to New Zealand is to work as an ‘other critical worker’ (H5.30.5) may request approval in principle for that person and their partner and dependent children to travel to New Zealand by emailing employerborderexceptions@mbie.govt.nz.
2. A request for approval in principle may relate to one or more critical workers who will travel to New Zealand for the same purpose and to work for the same employer or supporting agency, and include the partner and dependent children of those workers.
3. A request for approval in principle must be accompanied by evidence that demonstrates the worker meets the requirements in H5.30.5.
4. An employer or supporting agency requesting approval in principal for a person and their family to travel to New Zealand as an ‘other critical worker’ must pay the prescribed fee (if any).
5. Following a request for approval in principal from an employer or supporting agency, an immigration officer may invite a person to apply for a Critical Purpose visitor visa, another visa appropriate to the person’s circumstances, or a variation of conditions if they are satisfied that an immigration officer who is a National Manager in the Border and Visa Operations Branch agrees that the person has a critical purpose for travelling to New Zealand as an ‘other critical worker’ (H5.30.5); and
6. Following a request for approval in principal from an employer, an immigration officer may, at their discretion, invite a person to apply for a Critical Purpose visitor visa, another visa appropriate to their circumstances, or a variation of conditions if they are satisfied that:
   1. they are the partner or dependent child of an ‘other critical worker’ (as set out in these instructions); and
   2. an immigration officer who is a National Manager in the Border and Visa Operations Branch agrees that their presence in New Zealand is necessary for the critical worker to carry out their work.
7. When considering a request for approval in principal under these instructions an immigration officer may seek advice from relevant Government agencies or other authorities.

Note: For the purposes of these instructions, a ‘supporting agency’ is the organisation seeking to bring a person to New Zealand as an ‘other critical worker’ and who will be directly responsible for that person’s work while they are in New Zealand.

Effective 18/06/2020