60 Major Infrastructure projects to watch
60 Major Infrastructure Projects – handpicked for border exemptions.

A Holmes Consulting Project: Pier 3 being erected at the Matahorua Gorge Bridge on State Highway 2 (SH2) in the Hawke’s Bay region. It was successfully opened in March 2011.
The Chief Executive of the Road Transport Forum, Nick Leggett, was recently cited as saying “We’ve got to stimulate the economy. We’ve got to get these infrastructure projects built and the reality is we’ve got to import labour”.
Overseas workers aren’t automatically approved for a border exception if they’re attached to one of these 60 odd infrastructure projects. Their employer needs to explain the role their workers would be undertaking, and why each role is essential to the business. This would then be assessed by Immigration officers (in consultation with other departments) but they are however exempt from the requirement that they earn over $106,080 per year.
Leggett was also quoted as saying Government departments didn’t have the engineering nous to determine which workers were genuinely needed for these important infrastructure projects – “…most Government agencies and departments have lost their engineering capability”, he said.
The current list of the 60 major infrastructure projects which have been pre-approved for exemptions to bring foreign workers into New Zealand are:
- New Dunedin Hospital Campus (Southern DHB, in Dunedin)
- North Auckland Line (Northland)
- University of Otago – Christchurch Health Science Campus Redevelopment – Stage 1
- Facilities Infrastructure Remediation Programme – Stage 1 – (Auckland DHB)
- Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment – Project Maunga – Stage 2 (Taranaki DHB in New Plymouth)
- Tauranga Northern Link
- New Domestic and International Jet Terminal
- Interisland Ferry Replacement Project (Wellington and Picton)
- City Centre to Mangere Light Rail (Auckland)
- Central Interceptor Programme (Western Springs to Mangere)
- Mill Road – Northern Southern and Papakura Sections
- Elective Capacity and Inpatient Beds and Supporting Infrastructure (Waitemata DHB)
- Capability of Airfield Infrastructure
- Investment in Horizontal Infrastructure
- Redevelopment of Scott Base (Antarctica)
- Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme – Accelerated Renewals
- Rolling Stock Procurement Project – Stage 1 – Wagon Fleet
- Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 4 – Network Capacity Improvements
- Manawatu Road Maintenance Programme
- Laboratory and Biocontainment Greenhouse New Build and Relocation (Tamaki)
- Low Cost Low Risk Road Improvements across New Zealand
- Totara Road Wastewater Treatment Plant Consent Renewal Upgrade
- Adams Building Replacement Build and Precinct Enabler
- Dental School Redevelopment
- Construction of New Gravity Tunnel (Whenuapai and Redhills)
- Huia 1 and Nihotupu 1 Watermain Replacement
- New Watermain Connecting Woodlands Park Reservoirs to Greenhithe Bridge
- Pump Station and Rising Main Upgrade (Stanmore)
- Upgrade of Huia Water Treatment Plant
- Upgrade of the Waiuku Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wastewater Servicing to Clarks Beach
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Reactor/Clarifiers and Ultra Violet Expansion (Rosedale)
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade (Pukekohe)
- Cross Harbour Pipeline Construction (Wellington Eastern Suburbs to Waterloo)
- Peacocke River Bridge and Northern Arterials Construction (Hamilton)
- Hamilton Transport Network Renewals and Maintenance
- Drury Rail Station Development
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Membrane Bio-Reactor Upgrade (Waiuku)
- Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 6 – Infrastructure Upgrades
- Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 7 – Automated Train Protection
- New Aircraft Apron
- Marine Defences and Seawall Reconstruction
- Whau Recreation Centre – New Recreation Centre
- SH1 Improvements (Papakura to Bombay)
- Modular Prison Build Programme – Stage 2
- Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme (Wiri to Quay Park Capacity Enhancements)
- Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme (Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification)
- High Voltage Direct Current Cable Replacement and Capacity Increase (Cook Strait)
- Voltage Management (Waikato and Upper North Island)
- State Highway Improvements (SH1 Papakura to Drury South)
- Walking and Cycling Facilities – Northern Pathway including Seapath
- Penlink Road
- SH2 Te Puna to Omokoroa Improvements
- Melling Interchange Improvements
- New State Highway Construction – Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu Tararua Highway
- Waikeria Prison Build
- Main North Line Reinstatement Project (Christchurch to Picton)
- SH1 Whangarei to Port Marsden Upgrade
- SH1 Otaki to North Levin Improvements
- Rolling Stock Procurement Project – Stage 2 – Locomotives
- Rolling Stock Procurement Project – Stage 2 – Wagons
This is is a positive sign that the New Zealand economy is looking more promising, and the important work many engineering and construction firms do can continue during this strange time that COVID-19 has brought to us all.
Read about the 11 infrastructure projects which will be fast tracked through the consent process, and potentially creating over 1,270 jobs for the domestic job market over on our Holmes Consulting LinkedIn page!
[Information sourced from: Immigration New Zealand].