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Employers of critical workers will now have to pay a larger bill for isolation, with new charges for critical workers beginning with the new year.
According to the MIQ website, the new charges will apply to all people entering New Zealand on critical work visas as of January 1, regardless of when the visa was approved.
The government will continue to subsidize administered isolation for critical workers; however, the change in charges was made to better balance the employer contribution with the government contribution, an MIQ spokesperson said.
Starting today, the new charge for a critical worker who must isolate himself in his own room is $ 5,520, while the rate for a shared room will be $ 2,990 for a second adult in a room and $ 1,610 for a child. .
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Employers and critical workers themselves will not be eligible to apply for any fee waivers.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
The cost of isolating critical workers will rise to better balance the employer contribution with the government contribution.
The cabinet agreed to increase the rate for critical workers to bring the charges closer to the real costs of a stay in isolation and quarantine, the spokesperson said.
“Accommodating people traveling to New Zealand while maintaining our critical border defenses comes at a significant cost to taxpayers,” they said.
“The new changes will recover a greater share of the cost for critical workers and reduce the level of government subsidy.”
Previously, critical workers were charged $ 3,100, the same as tourists and kiwis returning home.
Additional adults are $ 950 and children are $ 475.
Under the new rules, the employer or support agencies will have to pay the fee, however, the bill will be issued to the employee and they will have to ask their employer to pay on their behalf.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has been contacted for comment.
So far, 91,957 people have been processed through the 32 isolation and quarantine facilities run since March 26.
Charges were introduced in August for the mandatory two-week administered isolation, which the Government said was to balance New Zealanders’ rights to return home and help reduce pressure on the managed isolation and quarantine system, while recouping some costs of who choose to leave and enter the country on vacation or business trips.
As of Thursday, there were 5,462 in managed isolation facilities across the country and 146 in quarantine.
