60 Major Infrastructure Projects – handpicked for border exemptions.

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:

1. New Dunedin Hospital Campus (Southern DHB, in Dunedin)
2. North Auckland Line (Northland)
3. University of Otago – Christchurch Health Science Campus Redevelopment – Stage 1
4. Facilities Infrastructure Remediation Programme – Stage 1 – (Auckland DHB)
5. Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment – Project Maunga – Stage 2 (Taranaki DHB in New Plymouth)
6. Tauranga Northern Link
7. New Domestic and International Jet Terminal
8. Interisland Ferry Replacement Project (Wellington and Picton)
9. City Centre to Mangere Light Rail (Auckland)
10. Central Interceptor Programme (Western Springs to Mangere)
11. Mill Road – Northern Southern and Papakura Sections
12. Elective Capacity and Inpatient Beds and Supporting Infrastructure (Waitemata DHB)
13. Capability of Airfield Infrastructure
14. Investment in Horizontal Infrastructure
15. Redevelopment of Scott Base (Antarctica)
16. Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme – Accelerated Renewals
17. Rolling Stock Procurement Project – Stage 1 – Wagon Fleet
18. Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 4 – Network Capacity Improvements
19. Manawatu Road Maintenance Programme
20. Laboratory and Biocontainment Greenhouse New Build and Relocation (Tamaki)
21. Low Cost Low Risk Road Improvements across New Zealand
22. Totara Road Wastewater Treatment Plant Consent Renewal Upgrade
23. Adams Building Replacement Build and Precinct Enabler
24. Dental School Redevelopment
25. Construction of New Gravity Tunnel (Whenuapai and Redhills)
26. Huia 1 and Nihotupu 1 Watermain Replacement
27. New Watermain Connecting Woodlands Park Reservoirs to Greenhithe Bridge
28. Pump Station and Rising Main Upgrade (Stanmore)
29. Upgrade of Huia Water Treatment Plant
30. Upgrade of the Waiuku Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wastewater Servicing to Clarks Beach
31. Wastewater Treatment Plant Reactor/Clarifiers and Ultra Violet Expansion (Rosedale)
32. Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade (Pukekohe)
33. Cross Harbour Pipeline Construction (Wellington Eastern Suburbs to Waterloo)
34. Peacocke River Bridge and Northern Arterials Construction (Hamilton)
35. Hamilton Transport Network Renewals and Maintenance
36. Drury Rail Station Development
37. Wastewater Treatment Plant Membrane Bio-Reactor Upgrade (Waiuku)
38. Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 6 – Infrastructure Upgrades
39. Wellington Metro Rail Network Programme – Stage 7 – Automated Train Protection
40. New Aircraft Apron
41. Marine Defences and Seawall Reconstruction
42. Whau Recreation Centre – New Recreation Centre
43. SH1 Improvements (Papakura to Bombay)
44. Modular Prison Build Programme – Stage 2
45. Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme (Wiri to Quay Park Capacity Enhancements)
46. Auckland Metro Rail Network Programme (Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification)
47. High Voltage Direct Current Cable Replacement and Capacity Increase (Cook Strait)
48. Voltage Management (Waikato and Upper North Island)
49. State Highway Improvements (SH1 Papakura to Drury South)
50. Walking and Cycling Facilities – Northern Pathway including Seapath
51. Penlink Road
52. SH2 Te Puna to Omokoroa Improvements
53. Melling Interchange Improvements
54. New State Highway Construction – Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu Tararua Highway
55. Waikeria Prison Build
56. Main North Line Reinstatement Project (Christchurch to Picton)
57. SH1 Whangarei to Port Marsden Upgrade
58. SH1 Otaki to North Levin Improvements
59. Rolling Stock Procurement Project – Stage 2 – Locomotives
60. 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].