Self-isolation Pilot Expressions Of Interest Open On Thursday 30 September

The Government recently announced a Self-Isolation Pilot will begin in October as a key step in ‘Reconnecting New Zealanders’ and safely re-opening borders and developing new pathways for people entering New Zealand.

The Self-Isolation Pilot will test some of the systems and processes needed to roll out self-isolation more widely, allowing more people to visit and return to New Zealand without the requirement to enter into MIQ.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will administer the pilot.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) will open from 9am on Thursday 30 September.

The pilot is for up to 150 participants and is aimed at business travellers who must have a requirement to travel internationally for business purposes (this includes sole traders), arriving back in Christchurch or Auckland from 30 October to 8 December 2021.

The pilot will also include a small number of Ministers and Officials attending overseas events as New Zealand government delegates.

Participants are required to be New Zealand citizens or holders of a resident visa with a right to re-enter New Zealand, be fully vaccinated in New Zealand with the Pfizer vaccine, and not travel to, or through very high-risk countries.

Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Vanuatu are not included as part of this trial, as one-way Quarantine-Free Travel from these countries to New Zealand will start in October.

Pilot participants will be required to self-isolate in approved accommodation for 14 days on their return to New Zealand. Participants must isolate alone or with members of the same travelling party, in a private dwelling with no shared ventilation system. The dwelling must have cellular coverage and be within 50km radius (by road) for Christchurch International Airport or be within a 50km radius (by road) of Auckland International Airport and within the boundary of Auckland Council. Monitoring and testing over the self-isolation period will be mandatory.

Employers will need to submit an EOI on behalf of their employees.

All eligible EOIs will be put into a ballot and spread across the six-week arrival timeframe. If their EOI is accepted for the pilot, a self-isolation plan must be supplied.

Applicants will be advised by Friday 15 October if they have been selected to participate in the pilot.

Participants or employers will need to pay for their own accommodation, if rental property is being used, their food and other personal costs. A fee of $1,000 (incl. GST) per participant will also be payable for transport and other associated pilot costs.

If participants need to enter MIQ because they fail to comply with self-isolation protocols, they will be liable for MIQ fees.

Employers will be expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure their employees comply with self-isolation requirements if accepted into the pilot.

What does self-isolation look like?

When in self-isolation, participants must:

· remain in their place of self-isolation for at least 14 days. They will not be allowed to leave the property at any time

· isolate alone or with others from the same travelling party. They cannot isolate with family or any other household members

· not allow any visitors to enter the premises, aside from medical staff for testing purposes and emergency or other essential services if required (e.g. fire, ambulance, police, tradespeople for urgent repairs)

· provide their own food and supplies (contactless deliveries are allowed)

· comply with all testing requirements set out by the Ministry of Health

· comply with all monitoring requirements, which could include a smartphone app and/or regular and random phone-based checks.

Key dates for the pilot

For more information visit Self-Isolation Pilot

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