- New Zealand aims to double its international education market to NZ$7.2 billion by 2034, targeting 119,000 student enrollments with policy and visa incentives.
- Work rights for foreign students will be expanded, including raising part-time work hours from 20 to 25 and widening eligibility across tertiary programs.
- With Australia and the U.S. curbing foreign student intake, New Zealand positions itself to attract global talent and boost its softening economy.
New Zealand aims to double its overseas education market by 2034 by providing incentives such as loosening regulations for foreign students to work part-time during studies, the government stated on Monday.
Education Minister Erica Stanford issued a statement saying international student enrollments have been rising consistently since 2023 and the government wants to 'supercharge that growth track' to NZ$7.2 billion ($4.32 billion) by 2034.
The move comes as phenomenally popular overseas student markets Australia and the United States are seeking to cut back on foreign students, with universities in their rival markets competing to cash in on those limits.
"In the short term, Education New Zealand will prioritize its promotional activity towards markets with the greatest growth potential", Stanford said.
New Zealand's international education market is currently worth NZ$3.6 billion to the economy and the government. The government wants to see international student enrolments grow from 83,700 in 2024 to 105,000 in 2027 and 119,000 by 2034 and double its value to the economy.
To get more foreign students to visit New Zealand, the government will raise the number of part-time work hours for qualified international students from 20 to 25 and broaden work rights eligibility to all tertiary students in accepted exchange or study abroad programs.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has restricted visas for foreign students, particularly from China. In May, the White House suspended Harvard University's privilege to enroll foreign students, a decision subsequently halted by a federal judge.
The government of Australia limited the number of new international students to be enrolled to 270,000 for 2025, in a move to contain record migration that has driven up the cost of renting homes.
For New Zealand, which has been experiencing soft growth, the step is the newest in a flurry of initiatives to shore up a struggling economy, following reforms to visa regimes to lure remote workers and foreign investment.
