They say more could and should have been done to avoid the crisis facing the 2021-2022 harvest season.
From 28 February, New Zealanders will be able to arrive back from Australia and expatriates from the rest of the world can return from 14 March.
Aotearoa was expected to open to foreigners from visa-waiver countries such as the United States no later than July.
For those who benefit from New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) Scheme, the move had come "too little too late".