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New Zealand: Int’l students unlikely to return in 2020

International students are unlikely to return to New Zealand this year, according to the country’s finance minister Grant Robertson. However, it is expected that the government will release a recovery plan for international education next month. 

An exact timeframe for when international students can come back to New Zealand has not been established.Photo: Pexels

"I will be sharing a four-year strategic recovery plan for international education next month"

Speaking with Bloomberg for its Inside Track webinar, Robertson said that it will take time to establish quarantine facilities that are needed to let students back into the country. 

“There’s a lot of pressure and need from both students and New Zealand community itself”

An exact timeframe for when international students can come back to New Zealand has not been established.

However, according to a report by RNZ, the government has ruled out students coming back in July and August in time for the next semester. 

“Growing our capacity for quarantine that we have absolute confidence in requires facilities that will need to be very carefully designed and used,” Robertson said.

“Moving toward an international student market for that will take some time,” he added. 

The uncertainty around entry for international students has led to calls to let post-graduates into the country as key workers, according to one report

“PhDs are creating new knowledge, epistemology, and solving for issues that are wide-ranging,” Ali Khan, a doctoral student at the University of Otago, told RNZ. 

“The ramifications long-term for the schools are that their rankings will go down, their enrolments will go down, their research production will go down and they will lose a lot of credibility.”

Additionally, the New Zealand government is set to release a four-year recovery plan for its international education sector next month

Minister of education, Chris Hipkins said in a statement that he understood that the international education sector has been significantly impacted by the border closure and that many providers and students are suffering. 

“The government and the education sector are working closely together so the international education sector emerges stronger and more resilient from this challenging time,” he said.

“I will be sharing a four-year strategic recovery plan for international education next month. The plan will stabilise and strengthen the system to ensure that it’s mutually good for students, providers, and benefits New Zealand economically and socially.”

Universities New Zealand director Chris Whelan said his organisation recognised it was going to take time to develop a credible plan to bring back students.

“We hope those plans don’t take too long. There’s a lot of pressure and need from both students and New Zealand community itself. It’s a $5 billion-a-year industry. It creates tens of thousands of jobs in this country.

“So getting it restarted is import for New Zealand but getting it restarted safely is also important,” he added.

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14 Responses to New Zealand: Int’l students unlikely to return in 2020

  1. My son had completed his PG course in hospitality from phims and was doing job in millennium lake view resort in Taupo on contract. He came to visit Indian in March after two years to meet family for six weeks and stuck here due to crona. His every thing laying there only even all the original documents. financially very tight no support from anywhere. Please help him to come back Newzealand Or give some support to survive.

  2. My friend has got invite for Phd however due to covid-19 got his admission suspended. His offer is valid till 2020. Kindly let me know how to go about from now.

  3. Doing Master’s in New Zealand. Came India in March after sad demise of father. Stuck due to corona. Applied permission from immigration but refused. Don’t know what is next.

  4. Good evening,
    I am the student of the last semester of Bachelor of pharmacy and willing to take opportunity for Masters in pharmacy please help me that make my dream comes
    True because my financial situation in not Soo good ….so, please suggest me how to get this opportunity….
    Thank you…

  5. My daughter got approval in March 2020 for pg course from Auckland university. All documents , fees and pcc are ready .waiting for university opening. Please advise

  6. There is the very real possibility NZ will be seen as one of the most desirable locations to be an international student. If isolation is managed well, students can move in a society with no community spread of the virus. If this remains the case it could be seen as one of the few places on the planet where you can go and lead a “normal” life.

  7. I think Newzealand is great. But at the same time they need to really prioritize opening up for students early next year. Hopefully till then a vaccine will be in place and available.

  8. Looking for doing Bachelor of Nursing program in early 2021 in Newzealand. Will I be granted visa for the same?

  9. Since 2 years now.Am waiting for October CAP intake However my intake is suspended 2nd time due to covid restrictions.I think if isolation handled properly we people can also join our dream country without any complications.

  10. My son has finished his post graduate in March 2020 and came to India to visit us . Unfortunately due to corona he is struck up .All his belongings with original educational certificates are at NZ.He has already registered for post study work visa .Will he get PSWV and come back to NZ .Bcos all my earnings are paid towards tuition fees .We are spending sleep less nights and I am sad to say that my son has attempted suicide once

  11. Hi I am Bhargavi .my husband is essential work visa in low skill. What condition in Newzealand imagaation .partner are important arein pr.

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