A change in process
The New Zealand government has announced that it is changing the way that it manages MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) for Healthcare workers by guaranteeing 300 spots per month for the health and disability sector. Building and maintaining a world-class health workforce is vital in rebuilding the healthcare system and adding capability to deal with the Covid19 Pandemic. The specifically allocated rooms will allow for migrants and New Zealanders brining their skills home to easily obtain a MIQ space and be out in the New Zealand workforce as quickly as possible.
At present, healthcare workers either have to move through the time-sensitive or emergency allocation process which can be stressful and adds the complexity of competing with others who meet similar criteria for these application types. The Ministry of Health will now have priority access to 300 MIQ rooms a month and will work with District Health Boards and Primary Health Organisations to allocate them to the people we need to get here the fastest. Health and disability workers who are not citizens or permanent residents will still need proof of a job in New Zealand and must meet immigration requirement by going through the process of a border exemption request and critical purpose visitor visa.
The new system comes into effect on November 1, with the first rooms allocated in late November.
Emergency Allocations for health and disability workers will still be available if required, and any existing bookings for healthcare workers will stand.
