New Zealand Eases Work Visa Policy to Attract More International Students

Key Highlights:

1. The New Zealand government has updated its immigration policy to allow partners of international students enrolled in specific higher education programs to apply for open New Zealand work visas. 
2. This policy change has been effective from June 21, 2024. It is expected to attract more international students, particularly in fields with skill shortages like nursing and engineering.
3. The updated policy is designed to better align to support partners of students in Green List professions, which face skill shortages. 
4. This change is anticipated to boost enrollment in these fields, helping international students and their partners integrate into New Zealand's labor market.
5. Partners of eligible students can obtain open New Zealand work visas without needing a job offer at the application stage. Additionally, dependent children will need to show evidence of their visa status to enroll in schools as domestic students.

In a new update from New Zealand visa news, New Zealand has updated its immigration policy, making it easier for international student partners to secure work visas. 

The amended policy, effective from June 21, 2024, permits spouses of students enrolled in certain higher education programs to apply for work visas with flexible terms. The reform is intended to bring more International students to New Zealand, especially for professions with skill shortages such as nursing and engineering.

‍New Zealand Immigration’s announcement stated, “We have updated the Green List with the main Bachelor degrees and Bachelor Honours qualifications that lead to registration for certain occupations. These are occupations that have registration as a requirement instead of New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) qualifications.”

‍Polly Vowels, Manager of Immigration Policy at the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment, elaborated on how the new regulation may affect international student enrollment in Green List professions with talent shortages by saying, “The previous settings did not align with the intent of the policy and have recently been updated to enable those studying a qualification that will lead to a role on the Green List to support their partner's application for a Partner of a Student Work Visa.”

Vowels also added that she has high hopes for the new work visa policy, and how it will perhaps help to draw more international students to New Zealand who are studying for Green List professions.

‍Celia Coombes, the acting director of Visa-Students at Immigration New Zealand, explained the intricacies of the new regulations by saying, “The partners of students who fulfill New Zealand work visa requirements are granted open work visas which means they can work for any employer in New Zealand. These types of work visas do not require an offer of employment at the application stage.”

Coombes also added “In New Zealand, most children attend school from age 5 to 18 years. A dependent student visa holder cannot attend tertiary education as a domestic student; they would be an international student and required to pay international fees.”

Recently, Linda Sissons, acting CEO of Education New Zealand, hailed the news of international students, saying, “Over 69,000 enrolments from international students all over the world is good news for our education sector and positive for our communities. It confirms that New Zealand is an attractive place to study, offering a quality learning experience inside and outside the classroom in a safe, welcoming environment.”

The statistics of students studying in New Zealand show that China, India, and Japan are the top three countries with the highest number of student enrolments in New Zealand.

TL;DR

New Zealand Government’s, new work visa policy aims to attract more international students by facilitating work visas for their partners. This policy change is particularly targeted at fields with skill shortages, such as nursing and engineering, and is expected to enhance New Zealand's appeal as a study destination. With strong support from key immigration and education officials, the new regulations are set to boost international student enrollment and contribute positively to the local communities and economy.