New Zealand Border to Reopen Fully in August

On Wednesday, New Zealand confirmed that borders will reopen fully in August, ending one of the toughest anti-COVID-19 border restrictions.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the border safeguards will be lifted entirely and all pre-departure testing will drop on July 31.

She explained that the date for fully opening the borders has been submitted for more than two months as part of a set of measures to revitalize the economy, most notable the faltering tourism.

"This will be welcoming news for families, businesses, and our migrant communities. It also provides certainty and good preparation time for airlines and cruise ship companies planning a return to New Zealand in the peak spring and summer seasons," Ardern said.

She also announced significant changes to immigration settings, hoping to attract workers to understaffed sectors such as engineering, health, and IT.

The controls imposed due to the Corona pandemic, which date back to March 2020, were welcomed, as New Zealand is proud of being one of the countries with the lowest rates of Corona deaths among developed countries.

However, critics have decried the system as lacking flexibility and compassion, as well as the damage it causes to the economy.