H5.30 Definitions (18/06/2020)

H5.30.1 Critical health workers

A critical health worker is a person who will work in New Zealand in a job or occupation described on the Immigration New Zealand website as a critical health worker.
The jobs and occupations considered as critical health workers are agreed to by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

H5.30.5 Other critical workers

An ‘other critical worker’ is a person who is required to come to New Zealand for less than 6 months in total and:
1. has unique experience and technical or specialist skills that are not obtainable in New Zealand; or
2. is undertaking a time-critical role which:
  - is essential for the delivery of an approved major infrastructure project; or
  - is essential for the delivery of an government approved event; or
  - is essential for the delivery of an major government-approved programme; or
  - is in support of an approved government-to-government agreement; or
  - has significant wider benefit to the national or regional economy.
An ‘other critical worker’ is also a person who is required to come to New Zealand for 6 months or longer and:
1. meets the requirements at H5.30.5 (a) (i) or (ii); and
2. earns at least twice the median salary (currently $106,080 per annum); or
3. has a role that is essential for the completion or continuation of a science programme under a government funded or partially government-funded contract, including research and development exchanges and partnerships, and has the support of MBIE Science, Innovation and International Branch to travel to New Zealand to carry out their work; or
4. is undertaking a role that is essential for the delivery or execution of:
  - a government-approved event; or
  - major government-approved programme; or
  - approved major infrastructure project.
An immigration officer who is a National Manager in the Border and Visa Operations Branch will determine who is an ‘other critical worker’.

Note: "Unique experience and technical or specialist skills that are not obtainable in New Zealand" means skills, qualifications or work experience which can only be learnt or gained overseas, for example in a specialist training institution or by working in a highly-specialist firm, or are inherent to a person. These skills are not considered unobtainable if they are available in New Zealand but not to the employer or supporting agency, or are available but are developed to a particularly high standard in the worker. Examples of workers meeting this standard may include: some highly specialist veterinarians, vendor-appointed engineers required to install major equipment, or an actor in a key film role.

H5.30.5.1 Other critical worker requests received prior to 18 June 2020

The Minister for Economic Development and the relevant portfolio Minister were responsible for determining whether a person was an ‘other critical worker’ before these instructions took effect on 18 June 2020.
Despite H5.30.5, the determination that a person is an ‘other critical worker’ for requests from employers received before 18 June 2020, that were made by the Minister for Economic Development and the relevant portfolio Minister, on the advice of MBIE, mean that a person is an ‘other critical worker’ for visa applications and invitations to apply made on and after 18 June 2020.

H5.30.10 Approved major infrastructure projects

For the purposes of these instructions, approved major infrastructure projects, are:

	Column A: Infrastructure project name	Column B: Procuring Agency
a.	New Dunedin Hospital Campus - Southern DHB.	Ministry of Health
b.	City Centre to Mangere Light Rail Auckland.	New Zealand Transport Agency
c.	Central Interceptor Programme - Western Springs to Mangere.	Watercare
d.	Mill Road - Northern Southern and Papakura Sections.	New Zealand Transport Agency
e.	Elective Capacity and Inpatient Beds and Supporting Infrastructure - Waitemata DHB.	Ministry of Health
f.	Capability of Airfield Infrastructure.	New Zealand Defence Force
g.	Investment in Horizontal Infrastructure.	New Zealand Defence Force
h.	Redevelopment of Scott Base - Antarctica.	Antarctica New Zealand
i.	Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme - Accelerated Renewals.	KiwiRail
j.	North Auckland Line - Northland.	KiwiRail
k.	Rolling Stock Procurement Project - Stage 1 - Wagon Fleet.	KiwiRail
l.	Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme - Stage 4 - Network Capacity Improvements.	KiwiRail
m.	Manawatu Road Maintenance Programme.	Manawatu District Council
n.	Laboratory and Biocontainment Greenhouse New Build and Relocation - Tamaki.	Ministry for Primary Industries
o.	Low Cost Low Risk Road Improvements across New Zealand.	New Zealand Transport Agency
p.	Totara Road Wastewater Treatment Plant Consent Renewal Upgrade.	Palmerston North City Council
q.	Adams Building Replacement Build and Precinct Enabler.	University of Otago
r.	Dental School Redevelopment.	University of Otago
s.	University of Otago - Christchurch Health Science Campus Redevelopment - Stage 1.	University of Otago
t.	Construction of New Gravity Tunnel - Whenuapai and Redhills.	Watercare
u.	Huia 1 and Nihotupu 1 Watermain Replacement.	Watercare
v.	New Watermain Connecting Woodlands Park Reservoirs to Greenhithe Bridge.	Watercare
w.	Pump Station and Rising Main Upgrade - Stanmore.	Watercare
x.	Upgrade of Huia Water Treatment Plant.	Watercare
y.	Upgrade of the Waiuku Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wastewater Servicing to Clarks Beach.	Watercare
z.	Wastewater Treatment Plant Reactor/Clarifiers and Ultra Violet Expansion - Rosedale.	Watercare
aa.	Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade - Pukekohe.	Watercare
ab.	Cross Harbour Pipeline Construction - Wellington Eastern Suburbs to Waterloo.	Wellington Water
ac.	Peacocke River Bridge and Northern Arterials Construction - Hamilton.	Hamilton City Council
ad.	Hamilton Transport Network Renewals and Maintenance.	Hamilton City Council
ae.	Drury Rail Station Development.	New Zealand Transport Agency
af.	Wastewater Treatment Plant Membrane Bio-Reactor Upgrade - Waiuku.	Watercare
ag.	Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme - Stage 6 - Infrastructure Upgrades.	KiwiRail
ah.	Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme - Stage 7 - Automated Train Protection.	KiwiRail
ai.	New Aircraft Apron.	Wellington International Airport Limited
aj.	Marine Defences and Seawall Reconstruction.	Wellington International Airport Limited
ak.	Whau Recreation Centre - New Recreation Centre.	Auckland Council
al.	Facilities Infrastructure Remediation Programme - Stage 1 - Auckland DHB.	Ministry of Health
am.	SH1 Improvements - Papakura to Bombay.	New Zealand Transport Agency
an.	Modular Prison Build Programme - Stage 2.	Department of Corrections
ao.	Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme - Wiri to Quay Park Capacity Enhancements.	KiwiRail
ap.	Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme - Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification.	KiwiRail
aq.	High Voltage Direct Current Cable Replacement and Capacity Increase - Cook Strait.	Transpower
ar.	Voltage Management - Waikato and Upper North Island.	Transpower
as.	Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment - Project Maunga - Stage 2 - Taranaki DHB.	Ministry of Health
at.	State Highway Improvements - SH1 Papakura to Drury South.	New Zealand Transport Agency
au.	Tauranga Northern Link.	New Zealand Transport Agency
av.	Walking and Cycling Facilities - Northern Pathway including Seapath.	New Zealand Transport Agency
aw.	Penlink Road.	New Zealand Transport Agency
ax.	SH2 Te Puna to Omokoroa Improvements.	New Zealand Transport Agency
ay.	Melling Interchange Improvements.	New Zealand Transport Agency
az.	New Domestic and International Jet Terminal.	Wellington International Airport Limited
ba.	New State Highway Construction - Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu Tararua Highway.	New Zealand Transport Agency
bb.	Waikeria Prison Build.	Department of Corrections
bc.	Interisland Ferry Replacement Project - Wellington and Picton.	KiwiRail
bd.	Main North Line Reinstatement Project - Christchurch to Picton.	KiwiRail
be.	SH1 Whangarei to Port Marsden Upgrade.	New Zealand Transport Agency
bf.	SH1 Otaki to North Levin Improvements.	New Zealand Transport Agency
bg.	Rolling Stock Procurement Project - Stage 2 - Locomotives.	KiwiRail
bh.	Rolling Stock Procurement Project - Stage 2 - Wagons.	KiwiRail

H5.30.15 Major government-approved programmes, government-approved events and government-to-government agreements

For the purposes of these instructions, major government-approved programmes, government-approved events, and government-to-government agreements are:

Column A: Major government-approved programmes	Column B: Government-approved events	Column C: Government-to-government agreements
Rocket Lab launches	BWF Junior World Championships (Badminton)	The Antarctic Programme
	ICC Women’s World Cup
	New Zealand Golf Open
	36th America’s Cup
	ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships
	Crankworx Rotorua
	IronMan 70.3 World Championship 2020
	The Pioneer
	Winter Games
	Rugby World Cup (Womens)
	WSL Challenger Series Piha Pro
	XVI WSBC Men’s Softball World Championship
	Ocean Race 2022
	FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

H5.30.20 Approved classes of workers

The following classes of workers have been approved by Ministers.

	Column A: Role or occupation	Column B: Additional requirements	Column C: Salary/wage requirement	Column D: Maximum duration of visa
a.
b.
c.

H5.30.25 Humanitarian reasons

Humanitarian reasons are exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature that make it strongly desirable for the applicant to travel and enter New Zealand.
When considering whether a person has humanitarian reasons for travelling to New Zealand, immigration officers must consider the purpose of these instructions and the strong public interest in protecting the health of New Zealanders and supporting Government agencies response to the risks posed by the COVID-19 situation.
Relevant factors when considering if humanitarian reasons justify the grant of a visa under these instructions include:
1. the applicant’s connection to New Zealand
2. the applicant’s connection to the place they are currently located
3. whether New Zealand is their primary place of residence, and their period of absence from New Zealand
4. whether the applicant has any alternative options
5. the impact of not granting a visa and entry permission to the applicant.

Note: Where a person is applying under the critical purpose of humanitarian reasons and are likely to require medical treatment in New Zealand, that person must have the support of the Ministry of Health or a District Health Board.

Effective 18/06/2020

PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION INSTRUCTIONS

H5.30 Definitions (31/07/2022)

H5.30 Definitions (18/07/2022)

H5.30 Definitions (08/07/2022)

H5.30 Definitions (13/06/2022)

H5.30 Definitions (12/05/2022)

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