New Zealand Study Visa

May 8, 2008 at 11:29 am · Filed under TCYonline, Study Abroad, New Zealand Study
“Merit is only consideration”
Recently, Ms. Kerry Greig, First Secretary Immigration, New Zealand High Commission, New Delhi, gave an exclusive phone-interview to TCYonline.com She emphasized that New Zealand offers great opportunities for permanent settlement and bright future for oversees students, especially from India. We hereby present some excerpts from the interview for our students desiring to pursue their studies in the Kiwiland.
Q. What type of courses is in demand for overseas students, especially Indian students?
Ans: Business and Management studies, IT and Pilot training. Post Graduate qualifications
Q. How important is the knowledge of English language for the students?
Ans: They should have a good level of English for the appropriate courses they are enrolling in. Students do not normally travel to New Zealand to study English.
Q. How easy or difficult is for an Indian student to get a residency status in New Zealand?
Ans: If the students have a qualification that attracts points under our Skilled Migration Policy and if they subsequently have an offer of skilled employment, and some work experience they should have enough points to apply for residence. Once they finish a NZ qualification that would qualify for points under the Skilled Migrant Category, they get a twelve months open work permit. During that period they are eligible to accept any employment in line with their qualification to make themselves eligible for residence. They should have enough points to apply for residence with the NZ qualification, the work experience and the skilled job offer in line with their qualification.
Q. How safe is New Zealand and does it encourage permanent settlement?
Ans: We have quite strict laws in place to protect students. In New Zealand a foreign student can only be granted student visas to study courses approved by the government at educational institutions that have been approved by the Government. The institutions have to abide by a code of practice in relation to student pastoral care and the quality of instruction provided etc. In India there is a general understanding that the majority of students are seeking to study in New Zealand with the goal of obtaining permanent residence in New Zealand. We are very happy for students from this market to study in NZ for qualifications that will assist them obtain residence in New Zealand.
Q. What are qualification points?
Ans: It is quite a complicated system with a lot of different variables but in short, applicants for residence need to get a certain number of points in order to be approved. Students who obtain a good qualification in New Zealand can eventually apply for residence claiming points for age, a New Zealand qualification a job offer and work experience etc. They can claim additional points if the New Zealand qualification relates to a skill on the long-term shortage list.
Q. What is the level of English language required to study in NZ?
Ans: The level of English, normally demonstrated by an IELTS certificate, depends on the course they are taking. Generally, the minimum is an average of 5.5 across all bands, universities require between 6-6.5 depending on the course and nursing courses require an average of band 6.5.
Q. How would you compare NZ with Australia from the students’ preference point of view?
Ans: We are a small country with four million people; we are very different to Australia. New Zealand is cheaper to live in as compared to Australia and you only have to consider the exchange rate to understand this, there are 31 Rupees to the NZ$ and 37 Rupees to the Australian Dollar. Like Australia our qualifications are internationally recognised.
Q. How is the job situation in New Zealand? Do the students get part-time and full-time jobs easily?
Ans: We have extremely low unemployment rate in New Zealand at present. The feedback from students indicates that they are getting part-time jobs while they are studying and are generally getting full time jobs when they graduate. There are also some educational institutes that assist students finding appropriate employment when they graduate. Students are generally responsible for finding their own part time work while they study.
Q. If a student visa is rejected by one country, say Australia, how difficult is to get a NZ visa?
Ans: NZ is not guided by rejection from another country. If they (students) are rejected by one country that does not mean they are automatically rejected by NZ. What we look at is why they were rejected. For example, they may not have been able to get the right information to the visa officer in time. Depending on the information submitted with the application they could be found eligible to study in NZ like anyone else. All applications we receive are considered on merit. We often seek additional information to that provided with the application and may interview the applicant. Before we issue the visa we must be satisfied that they genuinely intend to study and will abide by the terms and conditions of any visa issued. If we identify any false or misleading information in the processing of an application that application is likely to be declined. If the applicant fails to declare that they have been denied a visa by another country that would be considered reason enough to decline the application then the applicant has attempted to mislead us and that in itself could be a reason to decline the application.
Q. What if a student has a gap in his studies due to some reason?
Ans: If some students have a gap in their studies we would ask what they had been doing. If they advised us that they had been working somewhere that is fine or if they advise that they had a gap year that is fine as well and would not in itself be a reason to decline the application.
Q. Any message for the Indian students desiring to pursue their studies in New Zealand?
Ans: New Zealand offers good quality internationally recognized qualifications in a safe environment. There are also opportunities for students to seek employment and Permanent Residence in New Zealand after completing their qualification.
About tcyonline.com:Tcyonline.com is an online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY). Founded in 1998, TCY provides college level test preparation and school level supplemental education services. The company serves almost all the sections of student community, through classroom teaching, and online mode; from K-12 to students preparing for competitive exams. TCY is present at 34 locations, and is tying up with more like-minded individuals and businesses, to further extend its footprint across the country.