The New Zealand border will begin opening up later this month, with a full reopening penciled in for October.

The border will reopen to vaccinated New Zealanders travelling from Australia at 11.59pm on February 27, with the role of Managed Isolation diminishing, although remaining in place for unvaccinated arrivals.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says whilst MIQ has been a vital tool in New Zealand's pandemic response until now, it was 'time to move again".

'We are in a new phase in our Covid response,” says Ardern.

'Covid as an illness hasn't touched many of us to date. But with the transmissibility of Omicron we know we will experience the virus more directly. But the difference here is that we have all the tools possible now to prepare.

'We are vaccinated, increasingly boosted, and continue to prepare ourselves at home and work with a plan.

'Now it is time, to move forward together, safely.”

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the plan has been 'very carefully developed” to replace MIQ for the vast majority of travellers whilst continuing to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

He says vaccination rates and the pushed forward booster dates means it is time for New Zealand to 'shift gears” to 'reconnection and recovery”.

'Having MIQ for every traveller was a temporary setting for when none of us had protection,” says Hipkins.

'New Zealanders need to reconnect with one another. Families and friends need to reunite. Our businesses need skills to grow. Exporters need to travel to make new connections.”

Vaccinated travellers will soon not need to enter MIQ but will be required to isolate at home for 10 days, moving to seven when the pandemic response moves into phase two. Essentially, according to the Prime Minister, they will follow the same protocols to those considered close contacts.

The Government's plan to reconnect with the world is to be managed over five steps.

The first step will be to open the border to New Zealanders and eligible travellers from Australia on February 27.

Two weeks later, at 11.59pm on March 13, the border will open to the same group of travellers from the rest of the world – as well as certain skilled workers and working holiday makers.

A month later, at 11.59pm April 12, will open to some current offshore temporary visa holders, up to 5000 international students for the second semester and other critical workforces.

By July 2002, the border will reopen to anyone from Australia, visa-waiver travel and the Accredited Employer Work Visa will commence. This date could move forward, according to

By October 2022 the border should fully reopen.

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi says the border plans will help address labour shortages, with Working Holiday visa schemes reopening next month and the simplifying of the critical worker exception.

'Before Covid, New Zealand was issuing over one million visitor visas per year,” says Faafoi.

'What's being announced today is about gearing up in manageable steps to fully re-open as safely as possible to enable us to live with Covid but not be overwhelmed by it.”