MEDIA RELEASE
8 AUGUST 2019
Work underway to address risks and grow Vietnam education market
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and Education New Zealand have agreed to an industry and agent engagement programme to
grow high-quality student enrolments from the Vietnam market and deter fraud.
This work has been prompted by fraud detected by INZ’s Mumbai office earlier this year which identified instances of
fraudulent financial documentation relating to a number of Vietnamese agencies.
INZ Assistant General Manager Jeannie Melville says there were 47 cases of this specific financial document fraud
identified with appropriate action being taken, including cancelling visas and preventing people travelling to New
Zealand.
“A number of education agents have been implicated in this fraud,” Ms Melville says. “The students were applying to
study at all sectors – schools, PTEs, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics and Universities.”
ENZ General Manager International Lisa Futschek endorses the importance of a joint approach to developing the Vietnam
market. “New Zealand has an important and growing education relationship with Vietnam, and we want to ensure industry
and agencies are well informed in developing this education market.”
The two agencies have a range of activities confirmed to support the education industry and agents in attracting quality
students from the Vietnam market.
“INZ Mumbai representatives will attend ENZ-organised agent training sessions later this month in Vietnam to discuss the
issues and educate local agents on preparing ‘decision-ready’ applications.
“Both agencies will be working with the sector to grow high-quality student enrolments from the Vietnam market,
including through a joint industry webinar being held on 15 August,” Ms Futschek says.
There has already been a 55% increase in valid student visas from Vietnamese nationals from June 2013 (1,401) to June
2019 (2,174). Growth has been particularly strong in the secondary school and university sectors.
Ms Melville says the immigration system is one based on honest and truthful self-declaration from applicants. “If this
obligation of honesty is breached, we will have a zero tolerance to such behaviour and will take decisive action.”
She says the increase in the level of risk and complexity INZ is seeing in applications at a time of growing volumes is
having an inevitable impact on processing times.
“Some quality applicants with legitimate intentions are unfortunately getting caught up in the large volumes of low
quality applications that require high levels of verification,” Ms Melville says.
“But we’re working hard with ENZ and education providers to support more high-quality visa applications from Vietnam and
all other markets.”
ends