Exporter MIQ application pilot details

The Government has announced an Exporter MIQ Allocation pilot, which will enable a small number of export representatives to gain access to MIQ places in November and December, to be administered by NZTE.

This will allow 50 export representatives to secure MIQ places, 25 each in November and December, without having to go through the general public MIQ booking process.

An online registration form will be available at Exporter MIQ allocation pilot | NZTE from Monday, September 20,  until 5pm on Wednesday, 29 September. Applications for both November and December will be assessed together. All applications will be assessed after the closing date & there is no priority allocated to time of receipt – in other words, there is no rush for you to submit your application.

The pilot is part of the Government’s Trade Recovery Strategy and has been approved as part of the MIQ group allocations, which are decided by the Border Exception Ministerial Group, led by the Minister of Immigration. It will allow an assessment to be made about this approach, and whether it should become part of the Re-Connect New Zealand strategy. It is an acknowledgment of the needs of exporters and the difficulties you are operating under.

However, it’s important to emphasise this is only a pilot scheme, with an extremely limited number of MIQ positions available.  As such, we expect that demand will significantly outstrip supply for this pilot phase. The focus for the pilot is therefore to test the approach and process; it will only meet the immediate travel needs of 50 exporters.

The programme is open to all exporters, not just NZTE customers. Applicants must be an established New Zealand-based business entity that is actively exporting goods or services internationally.

Successful applicants will be advised by mid-October, to enable them to complete travel bookings.

There will be only one traveller per application and one application per business in the pilot. We are doing this to enable as many export companies as possible to take part in the pilot.

The allocation of places will be made according to the following priorities:

First priority

• Travel to deliver critical export-related goods and services;
• Travel to commission critical plant, machinery or technology.

Second priority

• Travel to present in-person for a competitive tender or contract;
• Travel to maintain, demonstrate or train in the physical use of plant, machinery, equipment or technology;
• Travel to perform contractual obligations;

Third priority

• Travel to attend a major trade show or industry event;
• Travel to carry out due diligence;
• Travel to interview/meet key people, such as a market distributor or a new in-market CEO; or
• Travel for other genuine commercial reasons.

As you can see, the pilot is intended for exporters who need to send an employee, contractor or business representative internationally to perform any of the activities outlined in the criteria above. It also provides an opportunity for exporters who have already sent an employee, contractor or business representative overseas for short-term work and who have been unable to secure an MIQ place. It is not designed for exporters who have employees, contractors or business representatives who normally live overseas who wish to return to New Zealand.

As a base requirement, travellers must have the right to enter New Zealand (NZ passport holders, permanent residents, existing visa holders etc), and they must be fully vaccinated. The initial assessment of applications will be based on information supplied in the application form, so you are encouraged to complete these in full or risk being declined due to insufficient information.

Once the first priority cases have been allocated, the remainder of places will go to second priority cases and then to third priority cases. At each stage, if the number of applications in a priority class exceeds the available places, places will be awarded using a ballot.

Application information will be live on NZTE’s website by Monday 20 September, and specific questions can be forwarded to exporterallocation@nzte.govt.nz once you have read that information.