Michael Woodhouse - Immigration; Simeon Brown - Tertiary Education
30 July 2018
The international education sector risks losing up to $40 million a year if the Government implements changes to make it
harder for international students studying graduate diplomas to get post-study work visas, National MPs Michael
Woodhouse and Simeon Brown say.
“International students are a critical revenue stream for our Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), and
those studying graduate diplomas alone bring in as much as $40 million a year,” Immigration spokesperson Michael
Woodhouse says.
“A change proposed by the Government to require students studying Level 7 graduate diplomas to study in New Zealand for
at least two years before becoming eligible for post-study work visas fails to recognise the higher calibre of those
studying graduate diplomas.
“Many of these students have already obtained bachelor’s degree and should get the same post-study work rights as those
graduating from bachelor’s degrees in New Zealand.
“If the Government doesn’t make this change to its proposal, some in the international education sector estimate that
student enrolments could drop by at least 50 per cent in 2019, which would see the industry and our economy lose out on
millions of dollars. The ITPs have been clear that this policy would destroy a significant part of the sector.”
Associate Tertiary Education spokesperson Simeon Brown says Education New Zealand estimates the proposed change could
affect up to 17,000 international tertiary students and cost almost $500 million in export earnings per year.
“ITPs are already under financial pressure due to a strong labour market and the Government’s proposal will put even
more financial pressure on the sector,” he says.
“International students studying graduate diplomas bring a wealth of experience to New Zealand and often fill vital
skill shortages. By completing post-graduate diplomas, they are able to add to their knowledge and broaden their
skillset.
“Where there are issues of quality or student exploitation, these should be addressed through individual examination of
providers, not whole-scale immigration policy changes that will have unintended consequences for the sector and the
wider economy.
“The Government must urgently exclude international students studying Level 7 graduate diplomas from the requirement to
study for two years in order to obtain work rights, before it starts to have a real impact on enrolments.”
ends