COVID-19 Level 4 Essential Services – Financial Sector

Updated: 17 September 2021

Auckland is at Alert Level 4. The rest of New Zealand is at Alert Level 2.

Financial services are not included as ‘Alert level 4 businesses or services’ under the COVID-19 legislation.

However, the Director General of Health has declared that:

1. Registered banks and licensed non-bank deposit taking entities carrying out critical financial services may operate as an Alert Level 4 business or service.

The activities of firms are limited to critical financial services and subject to the conditions of the exemption.

View the Gazette Notice for more information

2. Licensed insurers; money remitters and money transfer operators; financial product market operators; broking services; payment and settlement system providers; custodians; registry services; EFTPOS infrastructure and management services; payments architecture services; and credit bureaus may operate as Alert Level 4 businesses or services.

The activities of firms are limited to critical financial services and subject to the conditions of the exemption.

View the Gazette Notice for more information

It is up to individual businesses and services to check if they meet the criteria for operating as an Alert Level 4 business or service.

Any questions to the RNBZ should be directed to: [email protected]

External links:

• Information on Alert Level 2 Public Health Requirements
• The Unite against COVID-19 website also has information on operating safely at Alert Level 2
• Workplace operations at COVID-19 Alert Levels