[Source: 1News]

Unvaccinated residence class visa holders will be able to enter New Zealand from May 6, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.

It comes as the Government has broadened the criteria for re-entering the country.

Hipkins explained the change allows New Zealand permanent residents and Australian citizens ordinarily resident in New Zealand to travel in and out of the country.

Unvaccinated residence class visa holders have not been able to enter the country since November 2021.

“I am now directing a variation to the Order [Covid-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order], on the basis of the high numbers of people in New Zealand who are vaccinated, combined with how common the Omicron variant has become. This means the risk posed to our healthcare system from overseas returnees is now much lower,” Hipkins said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I acknowledge the difficulties some residents have faced in remaining overseas during this period and I am pleased we are able to make this change.”

The broadened criteria is being enabled by the Director-General of Health signing a class exemption. It does not prevent people in other groups continuing to apply for exemptions based on their individual circumstances, Hipkins said.

A manual process will be used to approve traveller declarations made by unvaccinated New Zealand residence class visa holders from 11.59pm on May 5 to May 13.