New Zealand international student program encouraging emigrating to New Zealand

Thousands of international students are emigrating to New Zealand through the New Zealand student visa program, making international education one of the country's biggest export earners, reports Indian Newslink.

Even during the financial downturn, emigrating to New Zealand through the New Zealand student visa program is a hot option and the international education industry is now contributing $2.3 billion per year to the New Zealand economy, as well as supporting 32,000 full-time jobs.

Professor Roy Crawford, International Policy chair at the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee, said that while New Zealand is competing with the Australia student visa program, New Zealand generates more export earnings from international education as a percentage of its GDP than Australia. He also said New Zealand has the potential to expand further by investing in infrastructure in order to become a more formidable opponent to Australia.

The New Zealand student visa program is considered a better option for those needing to supplement their expenses while studying because they can apply for a New Zealand study to work permit after the completion of their studies.

Both Australia and New Zealand are looking to attract the burgeoning middle classes in China and India to study in their countries, as they have increasingly begun valuing education in English-speaking countries as a family investment.

According to Thaindian News, the number of Indians emigrating to New Zealand for educational purposes has increased by 300 per cent over the past six years, and will continue to show strong results even during the financial downturn.

"India is a big market of talented students for us. Their number has considerably increased. I do not think recession can stop Indian students from coming to New Zealand," said Cliff Fuller, New Zealand’s trade commissioner in India.

"In 1998, only 150 Indian students enrolled. This figure rose to 1,500 in 2002. In 2008, we registered 6,000 new enrolments from India."

This month, around 25 educational institutions were represented at educational fairs in India in an attempt to encourage them to study in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people emigrating to New Zealand.