The number of people in this country on work or student visas appears to be settling back around pre-Covid levels.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment show there were 189,822 people in this country on work visas at the end of December last year and another 58,743 on student visas.
The flows of overseas workers and students both into and out of the country were severely impacted by the travel restrictions that were imposed during the Covid pandemic, and work visa numbers were also affected by the large number of overseas workers who transferred to residence visas under the 2021 Resident Visa Scheme, which fast tracked residence visa approvals for more than 211,000 people who were already in the country on work visas.
Both work and student visa numbers are highly seasonal, and work visa numbers at the end of December dropped to 115,425 at the end of December 2022, before recovering again over 2023 and 2024.
The 189,822 people who were in the the country on work visas at the end of December last year is now comparable to pre-Covid levels, just slightly below the 196,488 people who were in the country on work visas at the end of 2019.
Similarly, the end of year student visa population dropped to a low point of 30,711 at the end of December 2022, but has since recovered to 58,743 at the end December last year, also just slightly below the December 2019 figure of 59,268.
There is usually a general decline in the numbers of overseas workers and students in the country during December as many come to the end of their work or study commitments and others return to their homelands over the Christmas/New Year break.
However, it appears that the recent period of volatility is now giving way to the more usual seasonal patterns that were evident pre-Covid, which should see student and work visa numbers rising again over the first quarter of this year.
10 Comments
Last week I heard from an old school mate for the first time in 55 years. A benefit of social media. When he left Scotland he worked in the Middle-East then the Maldives and then 27 happy years in Singapore. He said when he retired he had to leave Singapore. Does Singapore have a more hard-headed policy for foreign workers? How does their economy compare with ours?
Foreign students in NZ universities help subsidise our students. Well-paid foreign workers paying high IRD taxes benefit NZ taxpayers and NZ businesses. How many immigrants fit into these categories?
Macro-Business recently posted an article discussing the overstated economic contribution of foreign students to Australia. Link
I am certain that the situation must be significantly worse in NZ where the majority of students go to polytechnics and private institutes instead of universities.
Also, the "export" earnings from foreign students are grossly overstated as well since a good proportion of international students pay their way during the study term by working low-skilled jobs locally but these get reported as foreign income by public agencies.
the majority of students go to polytechnics and private institutes
Only if they had to, I recall at a BBQ, perhaps several years ago now, fielding the complaints from students about the then recent change which meant they had to attend class a minimum number of hours per week. The problem was every hour spent in class meant less time available for them to work! Basically, buying a work visa by paying tuition fees. Some very popular training organisations down near the kiwifruit orchards...
I say skip out all the middlemen/'education' institutions and just let INZ sell work visa's. 50k for 12mths if you only want skilled.
I say skip out all the middlemen/'education' institutions and just let INZ sell work visa's. 50k for 12mths if you only want skilled.
Or corruption through the Game of Mates like in Aussie. Selling visas under the table. Maguire is disgraced ex-NSW Premier Gladys Berejeklian's old squeeze.
Former MP Daryl Maguire has appeared before a Sydney court for the first time after he was charged over an alleged visa and migration fraud that took place while he was sitting in the NSW parliament.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-07/former-mp-daryl-maguire-in-sydne…
All adding pressure to NZ inc.
Muriwai residents say crowds stripping rocks bare of sealife - NZ Herald
Covid is still distorting the student visa numbers. December would normally see those who have completed their degree return home for good. Because there were no foreign students starting their degrees 3 or 4 years ago (due to border closures) consequently there are no foreign students completing their degrees this year and leaving. A better measure will be to compare the number of enrolled students come February.
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