New Study Policy Good News for Providers
Education New Zealand: Media Release 07/05/09
“It’s great to see immigration policies which encourage young people from overseas to study in New Zealand,” says Robert
Stevens, CEO of Education New Zealand. “We’ve been working with the Department of Labour to improve immigration
conditions for international students, and yesterday’s announcement about working holiday visas is a step in the right
direction.”
Stevens is referring to an announcement by Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman allowing young people on working
holiday visas to undertake more than one short course of study during their time in New Zealand. Previously only one
short course of less than three months duration was allowed without a student visa.
Short courses can give working holidaymakers qualifications in subjects like scuba diving, wine knowledge (sommelier),
crewing super yachts, mountain skills, and wide range of other subjects through private providers and polytechnics
around the country.
The new rules come into effect in July, and state that a person with a working holiday visa may undertake one or more
courses with a total duration of less than three months. The Minister has also indicated that there may be country by
country negotiations allowing for some nationalities to undertake up to six months of study on a working holiday visa.
New Zealand has working holiday schemes with 30 countries, generally allowing up to one year in New Zealand for
18-30-year-olds to travel and do temporary work. Around 35,000 young adults are granted New Zealand working holiday
visas each year.
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