International Students and Workers Are Returning to New Zealand

In February, New Zealand recorded an influx of 13,638 for those entering the country for studies and 19,200 for work permit holders, according to Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment data.
This influx started in April 2022, and the authority recorded a number above 10,000 in September, which has never happened since COVID-19. In addition, the data showed that between September and February 2023, the country recorded 86,706 people arriving there on work visas.
Eighteen thousand workers arrived in February, below the pre-pandemic number, as 20,514 arrived in February 2020 and 20,361 in February 2019. These numbers are expected to increase because 20,235 work visas were approved in January.
On the other hand, the country is in expectation of international students, who are making a comeback. The number dropped between April 2020 and January 2022, decreasing from 21,153 in 2019. For the first time in June 2022, the number dropped. So, exceeding 10,000 is a welcome development.
For the first time in June 2022, the number of international students surpassed 1000 monthly, exceeding 10,000 in January and reaching 13,638 arrivals. Remember that in certain months, the number of international students will be higher than others due to the start of the academic year in those months.
As expected, the number of residence permits issued also increased in recent months. To back it up, immigration minister Michael Woods announced that 160,000 people had been issued residence visas under the unique 2021 Residence Scheme, with 80 percent of them being processed.
To quicken residence for those who want o get their New Zealand work permit and those who have been residing in the country longer, the country introduced the scheme in 2021. Besides, the minister explained that most workers favored by this scheme include nurses, early childhood education teachers, primary school teachers, and software engineers.
As noted by New Zealand’s International Education in 2015, the primary countries patronizing top schools include China and India, representing the top 50% of all international students in New Zealand. Others include Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Germany, each having a smaller percentage of the whole. International students from France, Brazil, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam also made a list.
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