Overseas worker and student numbers have returned to pre-Covid levels

Economy / news

There were almost 190,000 overseas workers and 59,000 overseas students in this country at the end of last year

15th Jan 25, 10:53am by Greg Ninness

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.

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19 Comments

by singautim | 15th Jan 25, 12:49pm 1736898554

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?

by Advisor | 15th Jan 25, 2:15pm 1736903737

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.

by J.C. | 15th Jan 25, 3:10pm 1736907044

It's all about pumping GDP scorecards and providing cheap labour. LVO and Lewellyn Smith deserve praise for what they do. The establishment will secretly despise them.

by Murray Falconer | 15th Jan 25, 3:41pm 1736908882

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.

by J.C. | 15th Jan 25, 3:50pm 1736909419

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…

by singautim | 15th Jan 25, 9:02pm 1736928124

When I worked in Papua I knew the cost of my work visa was the equivalent to two teachers annual salary. I also knew that as soon as my job was localised then I lost rights to residency.

by interesting1234 | 16th Jan 25, 10:31am 1736976660

Foreign students in NZ universities help subsidise our students.

I'd disagree and assert that they are simply a greater profit to tertiary providers and hence have a greater focus for increasing and retaining them. A university wouldn't drop the rates for their papers if they double the number of foreign students attending, but they sure would find a way to spend the profits. the cost of my papers went up by around 30% 2009-2010 and they had record numbers of students at the university I attended given the lack of jobs around at the time. Then 2011 they increased again by around 10-15%. Couple this with the local polytech reducing lecture time and increasing the 'self-learning' aspect for many areas, yet charging the same as the equivalent university study.

by MikeM | 16th Jan 25, 11:45am 1736981136

"Does Singapore have a more hard-headed policy for foreign workers? How does their economy compare with ours?"

Singapore does many things better than we do because they don't have to deal with Left wing extremists claiming everything is a human rights breach.

by linklater01 | 17th Jan 25, 12:06pm 1737068803

MikeM,

What a very blinkered view you have. For example, what difference did 9 years of a John Key government make to our woeful productivity record? Zero.

by linklater01 | 17th Jan 25, 12:03pm 1737068633

singautim,

How does their economy compare with ours? I am looking at a report on productivity from Landfall Strategy Group In one chart they show list 13 small advanced economies and their GDP per head of population. For Singapore it was US$63,897 and for NZ, $40,634. Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2020. Based on labour productivity(GDP per hours worked) Singapore was again well ahead of NZ.

A friend of mine from boarding school in Scotland did much the same as your friend.

by rastus1 | 15th Jan 25, 1:26pm 1736900791

All adding pressure to NZ inc.

Muriwai residents say crowds stripping rocks bare of sealife - NZ Herald

by J.C. | 15th Jan 25, 3:12pm 1736907121

Tacit racism in this article.

by Brocky | 15th Jan 25, 5:56pm 1736916999

Which races are strip mining the sea life? The article didn't drop enough hints.

by Murray Falconer | 15th Jan 25, 3:29pm 1736908176

settling back around pre-Covid levels

Right, so about when we had record high immigration under Labour and Winston then.

As if pre-covid levels were ever fine and dandy for those doing it the hardest in this country...

by K.W. | 15th Jan 25, 5:38pm 1736915918

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.

by singautim | 15th Jan 25, 9:03pm 1736928223

I though that graduates got an extra 12 months work visa. Not sure if it included their partner.

by K.W. | 16th Jan 25, 11:15am 1736979320

Once the degree is completed they can get jobs anywhere. Back in China. Australia. Canada. They should have realised by now that NZ is not a great option long term.

by interesting1234 | 16th Jan 25, 10:33am 1736976819

You assume they can graduate at the end of their study year instead of waiting for the next graduation to be issued their achievement.

by K.W. | 16th Jan 25, 11:12am 1736979161

You dont need to be physically present to graduate.