The number of people in New Zealand on work and student visas continues to decline even as the border opens up.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, show the number of people in NZ on work visas dropped to 141,702 at the end of May, down from 149,304 at the end of April, and 186,306 at the end of May last year.
That means the number of people on work visas has dropped by 79,032 (-35.8%) since it peaked at 220,734 in March 2020, when wide ranging pandemic border restrictions were first introduced.
The number of foreign students also continues to decline, with MBIE recording 32,178 people in NZ on student visas at the end of May.
The number of foreign students has declined in every month since February 2020 when there 82,977.
Since then their numbers have dropped by 50,799 (-61.1%).
However there are early signs that the number of foreign workers and students in NZ could start rising again soon.
The number of work visas being approved is at elevated levels with 23,238 approved in May, and 32,556 approved in April.
Prior to that the number of work visas being approved was running at about 12,000 a month.
There was also a jump in the number of student visas being approved for the first time, with 1344 approved in May, up from 387 in April.
Over the previous 12 months about 300-400 student visas a month were approved.
The May figures also show there has been a slowdown in the number of residence visas being approved.
Last last year residence visas approvals were running at about 1500 a month, but shot up dramatically to between 11,000 and 13,500 a month between January and April this year, after the Government introduced the special 2021 Residence Visa Scheme, which provided a fast track approval process for people who had already been in NZ for several years on work visas.
However the number of residence visas approved in May dropped back to 7500, which could suggest that the majority of people intending to apply for the special visas may now have done so.
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23 Comments
Too little, too late
It'll only change if INZ becomes capable of processing visas again. Which based on current evidence they aren't.
Isnt this because they are giving everyone (150-200k ppl) the nice little gift of permanent residency..
I griped about this further down as well - without those people needing to be of acceptable health!! For normal residence visas, NZ will assess the applicant's health status to ensure that NZers do not foot enormous medical bills for applicants in need of expensive treatment. Discrimination? Perhaps. The only way to keep NZers from footing exorbitant medical bills for immigrants? Definitely, and a sad reality as NZ will otherwise become a magnet for all people with serious and expensive health issues.
All applicants should take out health insurance until they become citizens. That's seven years. Problem solved.
I guess some of those who would have been on work visas are now residents thanks to the special 2021 Residence Visa Scheme (as they no longer need to renew their work visas).
I remain flabbergasted that the government decided to waive the requirement for being of acceptable health for these special resident visas by taking away the need for a medical assessment prior to being granted residency! Then again, it was probably the inevitable outcome of poor planning rather than being an actual decision, considering the fact that it was impossible to schedule and conduct medical assessments for thousands of applicants during the announced deadlines. Sigh. Oh well, NZers are nice people and would surely be happy to pick up any tab for the health expenses for these special residents, right?
Too expensive, boring, unfair and pressured to live in NZ.
And the floodgates are opening again.
Why would international students choose NZ over Australia/UK/Canada? Expensive, poor quality accommodation, low ranked Universities, limited courses etc.
Imagine rocking up to the cesspit which is Central Auckland today with all the emergency housing, crime and homelessness. NZ is not the country it was 5-10 years ago.
Lower skilled workers don't have easy pathways to permanent residency in UK and Aus. Migrants in popular high-wage destinations are often competing with talented individuals for jobs and visas. Not here in NZ.
For example, only non-EU graduates from top-notch universities in the UK get post-study work rights. Also, all migrants have to work 5 years on certain visa classes before qualifying for PR.
Potential students don't look for our universities ranking against the world but against the English speaking world. The elite go to Harvard, Oxford, MIT, etc and that includes Kiwis too. So we get the sub-elite but the best of that sub-stratum will still be very bright. The rubbish has been driven off by tightening the definition of tertiary education. Too many arrive for the prospect of employment leading to permanent residency - tightening the regulations about family members working and staying after graduation would sort out those who are looking for education and those just looking to escape the 3rd world.
Some parts of our cities are worst than the 3rd world...
Conversely the worst parts of NZ are still better than a whole host of other places.
We live lives most people would kill for and we don't even know it.
Yes I have noticed that the dependant to fee paying student ratio has increased over the years
Big drop of dependants over the last few months, they have either obtained residence via the 2021 special visa or left NZ
It is good that a targeted student visa approach will be better for NZ if they would like to stay on
If only Harvard, Oxford, MIT etc had churned out more of these clever elites then maybe the world wouldn't be in the state it's in now.
NZ universities are low-ranked? Can you provide evidence for this.
Relative to the top UK, US, Aus and Canadian Universities they are low ranked, by any metric. Even the top of Asia is well above our best.
Customs arrival and departure figures for the year to the end of March show nearly 84,000 more people left than arrived. That trend has only been exacerbated now that the borders have opened. And no, Jacinda, they are not all young people heading off on their OE, and also no, they will not all be coming back.
Exactly.
- April = Loss of 16
- May = Loss of 6k
- June to date = Loss of 11k
Year end to March + the above = loss of nearly 120k
Ah yes good news back comes demand for rental properties in Wellington - the overseas students have been missed. I wonder what the number is - must be significant.
Good news for who - the minority who own an investment property, or the majority who have to pay rent?
Nice, this'll crush wage rises among the working and lower middle classes. "Build back better" to be officially renamed "Build back the exact same way things where before."
Edit - was meant to be a reply doh.
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