Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
13th Oct 2020

New Zealand to allow first international students to return this year

Short on time? Here are the highlights:
  • A small number of international students will be allowed into the country beginning in November 2020 to resume advanced studies at universities
  • The government can’t say when more students will be permitted to return, and acknowledges that this is disappointing for institutions outside the university sector
  • The decision was made as a “pragmatic” approach aimed at balancing public safety and the significant economic contribution made by international students

The government of New Zealand has been rightly lauded for its approach to protecting citizens during the pandemic, and this has included an almost-total shutdown of the country’s borders for most of the year. But while arrivals are few, there have been exceptions: more than 10,000 health workers, other essential workers, and family of citizens or permanent residents have been allowed back into the country. Now, a small number of international students have been added to the list of exceptions: 250 international PhD and postgraduate students will shortly be permitted to return to New Zealand to resume their studies.

In a statement for the media, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said that,

“The exception today is a balanced decision that recognises the vital role international education will play in the recovery and rebuild of New Zealand and the need to continue the fight against the pandemic. It will enable us to welcome back a good portion of those PhD and Masters students who are caught off-shore, and who need to be in New Zealand to complete their work.

These are students who hold or held a visa for 2020, and whose long-term commitment to study here was disrupted by COVID-19. Priority will be given first to those who need to be in the country for the practical components of their research and study.

The first students are likely to arrive November 2020, with the majority arriving in the new year.”

New Zealand’s international education sector was a NZ$5 billion dollar industry before COVID-19 hit (2017 figures), with more than 30,000 students coming to study in the country’s universities in 2018. Across all types of institution, there were 117,275 international students enrolled in New Zealand in 2018.

Only the university sector for now

Mr Hipkins acknowledged that the number of students who will be allowed to return is small, and he anticipated disappointment from some in the education sector:

“The number of international students we are granting exceptions for is a very small proportion compared to the numbers we are used to. I acknowledge that other international education providers, such as schools and Private Training Establishments, will be disappointed that their students are not a part of this border exception group.”

He called the careful approach “pragmatic” and noted that it “allows us to carefully manage the demand on our quarantine facilities and the complex nature of bringing students back into the country.”

The universities sector welcomed the announcement. Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said,

“Prioritising PhD and Masters students who are already committed to studying in New Zealand is a sensible first step to bringing our international students back. We look forward to extending this as soon as possible to all our international students who remain overseas.”

Mr Hipkins says that he can’t say when more students will be permitted to come into the country, however: “[It's] difficult to put specific time frames on that, because there are still so many unknowns.” Back in August, the minister had warned the international education sector not to expect any international students to come to the country this year, and announced NZ$51.6 million (US$35 million) in funding to help schools and universities cope in the pandemic.

Universities urged to help with costs

As per New Zealand law during the pandemic, the students – like all international arrivals – will have to quarantine for 14 days in isolation hotels. The government has not yet indicated whether students will pay for their flights and stay at designated hotels (around NZ$3,000), and the New Zealand International Students’ Association is recommending that universities share some of the costs. The association’s president, Sabrina Alhady, told Radio New Zealand (RNZ),

“It would be a really good investment if institutions can consider bearing some of that cost and following up on a cost-sharing model, so that international students coming back in have that financial pressure alleviated. A lot of them will all have to pay for flights to get into the country, which will be undoubtedly exorbitant and we want to make sure students are being supported by institutions.”

For additional background, please see:

Most Recent

  • Australia: With ELICOS under pressure, peak bodies push for reduction in “extortionate” visa fees Read More
  • Mystery shopping study finds broad improvement in student enquiry handling this year Read More
  • South Korea hits its 300,000 student target two years ahead of schedule Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

Australia: With ELICOS under pressure, peak bodies push for reduction in “extortionate” visa fees The latest data from the Department of Education reveals that enrolments in Australia’s ELICOS sector (English Language Intensive...
Read more
South Korea hits its 300,000 student target two years ahead of schedule In 2023, the South Korean government announced a plan to attract 300,000 international students by 2027: 220,000 in...
Read more
Canada: Study permit numbers are in steep decline in 2025 In 2024, the first year under Canada’s current cap on new international student enrolments, the total number of...
Read more
UK confirms levy on international student fees as new analysis argues that government is “drastically underestimating” the impact of the move Updated for 30 September 2025: On 29 September, the Department of Education announced that it would reinstate “means-tested...
Read more
US administration’s new H-1B policies create uncertainty around post-study work rights The H-1B programme is a key policy mechanism for international students in the United States. Aside from the...
Read more
China leverages higher education capacity with expanded TNE partnerships As with most statistics about China, the latest higher education figures are a little dizzying. Enrolment in the...
Read more
France reports more than 443,000 international students in higher education for 2024/25 The latest data release from Campus France reports a record-high foreign enrolment in the country. There were 443,500...
Read more
Foreign enrolment in Canadian K-12 held steady in 2024/25 International student enrolment in public school boards in Canada declined marginally this year. The latest data from the...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links