More than 1000 foreigners have been cleared to enter Aotearoa to attend the 36th America's Cup.
Immigration NZ says it received 93 border exemption requests and granted 83 of those, involving more than 1060 people.
The America's Cup is listed as a government-approved event, which means time-critical workers required for racing were granted entry.
It says all requests to bring workers in under the 'other critical worker' category must meet strict criteria.
These people must have unique experience and technical or specialist skills which are not easily obtainable in New Zealand.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says it would not reveal the details of applicants' roles while in the country for the America Cup because of privacy reasons.
Earlier this week, the largest superyacht destined for New Zealand in time for the America's Cup confirmed it had been denied entry because Immigration NZ considered its crew too big a bubble.
The 85m-long pleasure craft Bold has more than 20 crew onboard including the vessel's owner Guido Krass, a German industrialist and is now heading to Australia after Immigration denied visas for a third of the crew.
Immigration New Zealand told the crew that only those essential for its operation would be granted a visa.
4 comments
Hmmm
Posted on 13-03-2021 16:46 | By Let's get real
I have yet to read any explanation as to why we are allowing people who have the virus to stay in the country.... One of the very few undesirable things that you can bring into the country with you and not get sent back to your departure point on the next flight. Try the same thing with illegal drugs. But, no doubt its a migration or refugee thing that cannot be slowed or stopped, whether there's a house for them or not.
AND we have NZ'ers
Posted on 13-03-2021 20:55 | By The Caveman
That CANNOT get back to NZ to see dying parents/children, because there are NO MIQ places available !!!!! NOW WE KNOW WHY - a yacht race in Auckland - and G'ment says that MONEY DOES NOT TALK !!!!!
Money Talks
Posted on 13-03-2021 21:35 | By Walbuck
And anyone else just waits in line and then in quarantine.
Corruption
Posted on 14-03-2021 15:45 | By Slim Shady
Of course money talks. Just in the last week we have cricketers wining and dining the DG of the MoH to get boosted up the vaccine queue and our washed up ex heavyweight boxing champion who manages to make a search warrant disappear unexecuted.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.