Trans-Tasman Bubble starting 19th April 2021
As of 19 April 2021, New Zealanders can travel quarantine-free to Australia and vice versa.
Both New Zealand and Australia have successfully contained covid-19 transmissions over the past 12 months and are now in a great position where we can open our borders to one another for quarantine-free travel. As of 19 April 2021, New Zealanders can travel quarantine-free to Australia and vice versa. This comes as welcome relief to many families and friends who have been separated; along with many businesses particularly in the tourism and hospitality industries. An estimated 40% of quarantine spaces will also free up as a result of the bubble, which should hopefully lead to further easing of border restrictions in the coming weeks and months. The bubble will of course also allow non-Australian citizens/residents to seek a visa for New Zealand. If you are in Australia and looking to study or work in New Zealand, our friendly team of licensed advisers would love to discuss your options.
New Zealand has a fantastic relationship with Australia, our people and culture are very much alike. We have a long standing rivalry which is taken in good humour and celebrated when we visit each other’s shores at every opportunity over a cold frosty one and sausage on the barbee. There are however some rather large differences which include rugby ability and not having dangerous wildlife wanting to kill you at every opportunity.
40% of tourists to NZ are from Australia. Tourism, pre-covid, was the biggest export industry for NZ contributing over 20% of total exports and generating $16.4 billion in revenue to the economy. New Zealand employers are also in desperate need for foreign worker help, with immediate need in the agriculture and farming industries. Actually all industries are calling out for the borders to be freely open and have ready access to foreign workers. We are therefore looking forward to the bubble with Australia to bring relief for some sectors with increased access to workers as well as tourists. This bubble however won’t satisfy the shortage and demand for skilled workers. New Zealand is a country of only 5 million people and growing rapidly.
We are looking forward to the travel bubble to bring relief for some sectors with increased access to workers as well as tourists.
We are extremely lucky to be surrounded by natural ocean borders which has kept us safe during the crazy past 12 months. This safe haven within the south pacific has also created crazy demand to migrate here. Over the past 12 months we have managed to get many offshore visa applications approved during the pandemic and are looking forward to managing many more as restrictions are reduced in the coming months.
Living in NZ is a relaxed, friendly, safe and unpopulated country. We are however a nation of travellers and can’t wait to head off overseas ourselves at the first opportunity as well as welcoming back tourists and migrants to our country.