Indian Students May Benefit As New Zealand Eases Rules, Aims To Double International Enrolments By 2034

By 2034, New Zealand intends to increase the size of its foreign education industry. Doors open for schools with less severe criteria as countries like the US and Australia tighten their rules for international students.

According to the government's newly announced plans, the foreign education sector, which currently contributes about NZ$3.6 billion to the economy, is expected to grow to NZ$7.2 billion over the next ten years. According to the proposal, enrolment is anticipated to rise from 83,700 this year to 105,000 by 2027 and then to 119,000 by 2034.

“With international student enrolments steadily increasing since 2023, the government wants to supercharge that growth track,” Education Minister Erica Stanford told Reuters on Monday.

A number of regulatory measures have been proposed to achieve this objective. One of the key changes includes increasing the part-time work limit for eligible international students from 20 to 25 hours per week.

Additionally, students participating in authorised study abroad or exchange programs will now have the ability to work, which is anticipated to increase New Zealand's attractiveness to students from around the world.

These reforms are being rolled out at a time when major study destinations are becoming more restrictive. The U.S. under President Donald Trump had imposed tighter controls on student visas. Citing housing and infrastructural issues, Australia more recently imposed a nationwide limitation that will limit the number of new overseas students enrolled to 270,000 in 2025.

New Zealand, on the other hand, seems to be going the other way, seizing the opportunity to broaden its educational options and draw in students who might be turned off by stricter regulations elsewhere.

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