Kiwi act coming into force

The announcement that two new business visa categories for New Zealanders entering the United States will be available in June is a significant achievement in the bilateral relationship says NZ US Council Chairman, Leon Grice.

"For many years getting a visa to invest, create jobs or establish a business presence in the United States has been a costly barrier and in surveys of New Zealand exporters to the US it was often their number one concern.

"The passage of the Kiwi Act in 2018 by the US Government was a powerful demonstration of the goodwill of the House, the Senate and the US President towards New Zealand and was a major achievement of our Embassy in DC and Ambassador Scott Brown in Wellington," Grice says.

"It also reflects the reality that New Zealand businesses are high value job creators in the United States."

Grice says the Council continues to lobby for a free trade agreement with the United States and in recent months we have discussed it with US Senators and found enthusiastic support. The goodwill exists in Congress and the Administration to do an FTA.

"We are pleased with the progress the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters made late last year in getting the support of Vice President Mike Pence for a free trade agreement and we support Ambassador Scott Brown’s tireless advocacy for an agreement.

"The NZ US Council will continue to promote and support the New Zealand Government’s efforts to get a free trade agreement that delivers for all New Zealand goods and services exporters," Grice said.

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