The New Zealand Veterinary Association is delighted skilled workers will be allowed into New Zealand from March 13, helping to ease the country’s dire shortage of vets, chief executive Kevin Bryant says.
"The announcement has come in the nick of time, as the industry is in crisis, with many of the country’s veterinary teams under far too much pressure trying to fill gaps in the workforce.
"With the constant pressure of shortages over the last two years, people seem to have hit the wall and we are receiving an ever-increasing flood of inquiries from veterinary teams asking where they can get help.
"We are very glad to see a light at the end of the tunnel."
For the reopening to be "truly effective", Immigration New Zealand would need to move quickly in processing visa applications, he said.
The association would do all it could to assist them, he said.
Since the pandemic began, the association had been working alongside the Ministry for Primary Industries and Immigration New Zealand to enable border exceptions for overseas veterinarians.
More than 120 overseas veterinarians had been able to enter the country but that had not been enough for an industry that relied so heavily on overseas workers.
"The industry also needs to cope with New Zealanders leaving our shores as they start to head off on their OEs.
"This will exacerbate the challenges faced by understaffed businesses," Mr Bryant said.
Under the Government’s reopening plan, from March 13 anyone earning at least 1.5 times the median wage (at least $85,000) was eligible for a critical work visa and would be able to enter New Zealand.
"They will not need to book a space in MIQ but will be required to self-isolate," Mr Bryant said.
