Covid-19

Covid support payments available

• The Covid-19 Short-Term Absence Payment is available for businesses to help pay workers who need to stay home while they wait for a Covid-19 test result. 
• The Covid-19 Leave Support Scheme is available for businesses to help pay employees who need to self-isolate and can't work from home. 
• The Resurgence Support Payment is a payment to help support viable and ongoing business or organisations due to a Covid-19 alert level increase to level 2 or higher. 
• The Covid-19 Wage Subsidy March 2021 is a new wage subsidy payment to support businesses to continue to pay employees and protect jobs. Businesses affected by the rise in alert levels can apply from 1pm on Thursday 4 March 2021.
• Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development also have a range of support for businesses and families.

Operating during Alert Level 3 and 4

Under Alert Level 3 and 4, the primary industries – including growers and packhouses – are allowed to keep operating and cross borders. 

Regional Covid borders

Workers involved in food and beverage production, processing and supply, and freight are permitted to cross the borders.  In other words, they do not need to apply for an exemption but documentation is needed for border crossings. 

If a region is at a different Covid Alert Level to the rest of the country, businesses will need to register to cross the border. Businesses can register Business.govt.nz system (click here to apply), which will automatically provide workers with a QR code that they can place on the dashboard when crossing the border.  (Please note that individuals need a RealMe account to start the registration process, on behalf of their business.) 

Please note that displaying these QR codes is likely to be mandatory when crossing an Alert Level 3 border. 

Click here to register with the new border crossing process