Faster New Zealand student visas

New Zealand, 9th May: New Zealand immigration has announced streamlining the process of New Zealand visas for foreign students wanting to study here.

This is going to be done to give a fillip to the education industry of New Zealand.

MOU for faster New Zealand study visa process—A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been passed between Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand for improving the system of visa processing for foreign students.

So, as per changed rules for New Zealand student visas, the application processing times will be reduced to merely 10 working days for overseas students using a NZSA(New Zealand Specialist Agent).

This was revealed by Steven Joyce, New Zealand Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister yesterday. For all members of NZSA, a point of contact will be provided within the branches of INZ (Immigration New Zealand) by New Zealand education specialists.

Vital role of international education to New Zealand-- Giving details about the agreement, Joyce maintained that the latest steps are aimed to bridge gaps between New Zealand and the other nations of the world.

International education is of great significance to the economy of New Zealand, said Joyce. It is worth more than $2 billion (New Zealand dollars) to the economy.

So, the nation wants to reform the process of New Zealand student visa to increase the benefits brought by international education to the nation’s economy, Joyce affirmed.

The MoU will increase the role played by INZ in the working of the NZSA program, stated Nathan Guy, New Zealand immigration minister.

Each year, nearly 100,000 foreign students come to study in New Zealand and this is possible only through the services offered by Immigration New Zealand, Mr. Guy added.

To increase the inflow of foreign students to New Zealand, the government must keep on working in collaboration with the international education sector in the coming times, Mr. Joyce asserted.

Last year, the government announced doubling the funds set aside for promotion of New Zealand’s education system to international education.

Joyce had informed last year that increased contribution towards international education sector is a recognition of its vital contribution to the economic development of the nation not only now but also in the coming 15 years or even more.