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• February update from Immigration New Zealand

  Update on Student visa processing*  

  Since New Zealand’s international borders reopened in August 2022, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has received 25,471 student visa applications from international students outside of New Zealand. We have decided 17,601 of these applications, with more than half of our decisions made in under four weeks. 

  *Figures current as at 10pm on 30 January 2023.  

  We have updated our reporting 

  INZ is improving the way we publicly report on processing times for different visa categories. We now publish the processing times for applications decided in the previous month, instead of the previous three months.  

  The website illustrates the median number of days, along with the actual number of days it takes to process 90% of applications. These new metrics give a good indication of what customers can expect, regardless of the complexity of their application.  

  Check out our updated processing times here: How long it takes to process a visa application | Immigration New Zealand 

  Apply for visas at least 8 weeks ahead of intended travel date 

  New Zealand is in the middle of our student processing peak period. You can apply up to three or four months ahead of intended travel if you wish, however please ensure that applications are applied for at a minimum of 8 weeks ahead of intended travel date.  

  INZ generally processes applications in date order and the course start date is also taken into consideration.  

  We appreciate that students are keen to have their travel bookings confirmed given the cost of flights and flight route limitations, however INZ recommends that students do not confirm travel bookings until a visa has been granted. If students still wish to book travel ahead of a visa decision, we recommend that they explore flexi travel dates or refundable tickets.  

  Student visa checklists 

  The student visa checklist is key to submitting a complete student visa application that has the information we need to make a decision. We update the visa checklists regularly, so be sure to use the web link rather than download the checklist. The first time international students visa checklist was last updated in December 2022. 

• ENZ-Enroller partnership looks to maintain capability of schools to host international students

  ENZ is subsidising the cost of Enroller’s digital platform for schools for the remainder of 2021 and 2022. The funding will start with secondary schools.

  “ENZ is aware that international student departments at schools are busier than ever, managing the increased pastoral care needs of students still in New Zealand,” ENZ General Manager – Partnerships & Marketing, Paul Irwin, says.

  A report released by Edified in March showed that international recruitment and marketing in schools is in a state of flux. Due to a lack of travel, schools are relying more than ever on digital marketing – however, support and guidance is needed to support international departments to make the transition to digital.

  “Our aim is to support more schools to continue digital marketing, managing enquiries and applications quickly and easily. This partnership will also help ensure that the schools sector is prepared for when international students return to New Zealand,” Irwin says.

  ENZ and New Zealand company Enroller have worked together before on a research project that was completed in 2019.

  That research indicated Enroller was incredibly useful to both schools and agents. 90 per cent of schools who participated said it was a more efficient way of processing student enrolments, saving them between two and three hours’ of work per student enrolment. Of the education agencies surveyed nearly 70 per cent said that Enroller made it easier to submit and manage applications to NZ schools.

  The next step of that research project will continue with the 2021 partnership.

  “We’re excited to be able to offer additional support to schools and continue the work that ENZ and Enroller began in 2018.” CEO and co-founder of Enroller, Michael Barry, says.

  “The NZ school sector is hurting – It has been a long and uncertain 12 months for many. The extension of this research project will enable multi-tasking international departments, and their education agency partners, the additional digital capability and resource that they need to manage the rebuild of their international student roll, cost-effectively.”

  Representatives from ENZ and Enroller are looking forward to sharing more on the partnership at Enroller’s upcoming virtual roadshow for current Enroller clients. The webinars will take place at 2:00pm on 25 May and 11:30am on 26 May. 

  • Register for the 2:00pm, 25 May session
  • Register for the 11:30am, 26 May session

  Other interested schools can request a pack of information – please contact ENZ Business Development Manager Mary Camp (mary.camp@enz.govt.nz) for more information.

• From the CE: Promoting New Zealand’s education in Asia

  The visit by Education Minister Chris Hipkins to South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore in October 2022 was an opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s strong commitment to international education. Representatives from the university sector, Te Pūkenga, schools, as well as the PTE and EdTech sectors, and ENZ were part of the accompanying delegation. Bilateral meetings were held with key Ministers in each country, and there were opportunities to meet with alumni, agents local school children and others. You can read more about this trip in this edition of E-News. 

  This month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Asia also included a significant international education component, particularly in Viet Nam. Education was highlighted as an important pillar of partnership in all bilateral meetings, and we were delighted to help arrange and participate in an education forum in Hanoi. We will report on this trip in more detail next month. 

  Our recent international education events have featured a mixture of ENZ-run events and commercial and global events. The key aim has been to raise the awareness and profile of New Zealand education, and provide a platform for New Zealand education providers to engage directly with prospective students and their families, with education agencies and other key stakeholders, particularly within Asia. Recent events have included a Korean agent seminar, COEX Fair and New Zealand education night reception in Seoul, a reconnecting series with Japanese partners in Tokyo, Viet Nam agent seminars and fairs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and a Thai agent seminar and fair in Bangkok. Looking ahead to next year’s events, ENZ’s international event calendar for the first half of 2023 is now on our website here. 

  The second phase of New Zealand’s successful international marketing campaign, I AM NEW, is now underway with a primary focus on China, India, South Korea, Japan, USA, Brazil, Viet Nam, Thailand and Germany. While the initial campaign aimed to raise awareness that New Zealand has reopened for international education, this second phase is focussed on reigniting interest in a New Zealand study experience, and transforming that interest into a commitment to study with New Zealand. A Spanish version of the I AM NEW campaign has also just been launched yesterday in Bogotá, Colombia, to reach this important segment of the Latin America market. 

  As we work with our partners and stakeholders within New Zealand and offshore to promote New Zealand education in the lead up to the 2023 student intake, we are hearing about a shortage of homestay accommodation that it would be good to resolve. More families are needed to welcome international students into their homes. This can be an enormously rewarding experience for everyone involved, one that builds lasting friendships and a deeper understanding of people from another language and culture. We will be talking with the sector to agree the best approach to addressing this challenge.  

  Finally, if you are looking to contact our Auckland-based team, please note that we have moved out of our office on Quay Street, and will be in a new office at 191 Queen Street from 5 December 2022.  

  He rau ringa e oti ai – Many hands make light work. 

• UCIC

• International student employment: overcoming barriers

  The panel, chaired by ENZ’s Director Student Experience, Hayley Shields, featured a diverse and informed range of views from

  • Brett Berquist, Director International at the University of Auckland
  • Dr Cate Gribble, Senior Research Analyst at the University of Auckland
  • James Koo, former international student and founder and CEO of Niesh, a free student discounts app
  • Paul Hickey, Managing Director at SpeakData
  • Charan Mohan, former international student and now Business Intelligence Analyst at SpeakData.

  Dr Cate Gribble talked about the need to raise awareness of the benefits to businesses of employing international students to counter employer concerns around the challenges of international student employees, including perceptions they won’t fit culturally, their English will be limited or that their visa situation will make paperwork too challenging. Students also find their international work experience in their home country is not always valued here, and employers often require New Zealand citizens or Permanent Residents.

  Brett Berquist added that we need to counter the perception that international students will not stick around.

  “The reality is that all students, both domestic and international, are equally mobile. Employers need to stop thinking Kiwis make employees for life, and that international students are a flight risk.”

  James Koo said the lack of transparency around these concerns is a challenge for international students. As a result, many international students end up sending a generic CV and cover letter to any and all available jobs, too discouraged to spend time tailoring their CVs to each role.

  James also noted that student expectations can sometimes be unrealistic, and some students expect to work in large, prestigious companies whereas most New Zealand companies are SMEs – which he noted can actually offer more opportunities and experiences for students and recent graduates.

  SpeakData’s Paul Hickey then talked about his experience  hiring international students, such as fellow panellist Charan Mohan. While Charan clearly had the hard skills required for his company, Paul needed to be convinced of his soft skills, which he calls being ‘Kiwi-ready.’

  “Often, international students come into interviews and talk solely about their studies and qualifications when actually, we’re just as interested in hearing about their interests outside of work.

  “That social aspect plays a big part – sharing a story about kayaking in Taupo at the weekend or going to an All Blacks game is an easy way to connect with Kiwi employers.”

  Paul also talked about the need to work with institutions to create a pipeline of talent.

  “Employers often take a short-term view and hire people ‘just in time’ rather than looking ahead, whereas if you expect to have 10 new positions available in two years’ time, why not try to establish a pipeline for talent through local institutions who can connect you with new graduates with relevant skills?”

  Panellists also agreed that having internships and work experience in education programmes will also help international students get into the job market when they graduate.

  Brett concluded that while all these approaches can reduce barriers, ultimately, a strategy is required – supported by data that is already available in reports such as the Ministry of Education’s ‘Moving Places’, ENZ’s Beyond the Economic and Immigration New Zealand data.

  It is an ongoing discussion that will continue to be in the spotlight in New Zealand as the industry works to meet international student expectations of global employability.

• [MIN SIGNED] 2425 292 ENZ Q4 report for 4 Apr 30 Jun 2025 (1) Redacted

• SWNZO online 1

• NZIEC2024374of128 v2

• From the Acting CE: Forward together

  Tēnā koutou katoa  

  Last week we took time internally to reflect on our work over the 2023/24 financial year. So much excellent work has happened over the past twelve months – it was wonderful to come together virtually as an organisation to celebrate the achievements. 

  There are good reasons to celebrate. International students are returning to New Zealand. The latest enrolment figures show that there were 69,135 international student enrolments with New Zealand education providers in 2023. This represents a 67 per cent increase compared to the full year in 2022 and 60 per cent of annual enrolments in 2019.  

  This is positive news for our education sector and good for our communities. 

  A key part of our strategy is to partner and connect and to be an enabler of international education for New Zealand, so I thought I would share with you some recent engagements with that in mind. 

  This past month I had the pleasure of speaking at the opening plenary session of the annual SIEBA (Schools International Education Business Association) conference in Auckland. The theme of the hui was Global Threads Local Ties. The school sector is very important to New Zealand’s international education offering. It is the second largest sub sector after universities, representing about 20 percent of the value of our entire industry and it is where we find the highest economic value and the greatest opportunity to pathway through to other New Zealand providers.  

  Likewise, in early August I was pleased to welcome to our Wellington office a delegation of twenty indigenous students visiting from the University of Toronto. Canada is one of New Zealand’s closest and longstanding international partners and it is pleasing to see indigenous-to-indigenous cooperation between both countries increasing. We are really noticing growing interest in this overseas as you will read in this article here. - Indigenous Internationalisation a hot topic 

  Turning our attention to the next 12 months, in June the ENZ Board approved our business plan for this financial year (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025). The plan has four clear priorities: 

  • To grow and diversify the number and value of international students studying with New Zealand 

  • Partner and connect to be the trusted voice and enabler of international education for New Zealand 

  • To deliver sector growth through services that are valued by the sector, international students and New Zealand Inc partners, and 

  • Optimise ENZ to be a more efficient and effective Crown Agency. 

   When it comes to delivering valued sector services, the upcoming New Zealand International Education Conference (NZIEC KI TUA) in August will be provide an excellent opportunity to come together as a sector to listen, learn, discuss, contribute, and network with specialists and colleagues. 

   If you haven’t yet registered, I encourage you to check out the conference website. This year it will be held from 6 to 8 August 2024 at Tākina Convention Centre in Wellington.  

   We have a stellar line up of speakers and it promises to be an engaging and informative event. 

   

  Whaowhia te kete mātauranga 

  Fill the basket of knowledge. 

   

  Ngā mihi nui,    

   

  Dr Linda Sissons  

  Acting Chief Executive  

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao