TO ALL CONCERNED WORKERS IN NEW ZEALAND

The New Zealand Government, through Immigration New Zealand Minister Iain Lees Galloway, has declared that the country is determined to keep border restrictions in place in the foreseeable future as the country recovers from the COVID-19 crisis.

In view of this, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who traveled overseas and are returning to resume their employment in New Zealand are advised that they will indefinitely be unable to do so. Only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents are presently allowed entry to New Zealand. Thus, returning OFWs may have to keep an eye on new policy advisories that the NZ Government may adopt on this matter going forward.

On the DOLE-AKAP Cash Assistance Scheme for workers on-site, eligible applicants, i.e. workers who did not receive wage subsidy from the NZ Government, are encouraged to apply.

The DOLE has an approved allocation of Php.1.5 Billion for the said scheme sourced from the DOLE COVID Adjustment Measures Program (DOLE-CAMP). As the said limited budget, only 150,000 OFWs out of the million Filipinos overseas can be accommodated under the said program. Once the said allocation has been reached, Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) are constrained to stop receiving DOLE-AKAP applications, and may resume only upon release of any additional funds.

For queries on the DOLE-AKAP Program, kindly visit POLO Wellington’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/usd200nz/ or send us an email at: polo.newzealand@philembassy.org.nz.