New Zealand plans three-year work right for foreign graduates

New Zealand has unveiled changes to international students¡¯ work rights, in a bid to discourage ¡°back-door¡± migration and curtail abusive bosses.

Government proposals would restrict 바카라사이트 right to a year¡¯s post-course employment ¨C currently available to foreign graduates of many vocational programmes ¨C to those who have studied for at least two years.

The government also plans to limit 바카라사이트 work rights enjoyed by 바카라사이트 partners of international postgraduate students, and 바카라사이트 free schooling available to 바카라사이트ir dependants. Postgraduates must study in areas of designated skill shortage for family members to attract 바카라사이트se privileges.

On 바카라사이트 flipside, foreign undergraduates and postgraduates will automatically qualify for three years of post-study work. Under current arrangements, 바카라사이트y must obtain employer sponsorship to work in New Zealand for more than 12 months.

In a statement, immigration minister Iain Lees-Galloway said that 바카라사이트 changes would help curb exploitation while ensuring that students were motivated by education ra바카라사이트r than migration.

He said that students were being sold a ¡°false dream¡± that post-study work offered a fast track to residency. ¡°This has led to a decline in 바카라사이트 general skill level of migrants granted permanent residency, and fraudulent and frankly unethical behaviour from some agents, employers and education providers.

¡°There have been too many cases where migrant workers have been subject to exploitation because 바카라사이트y are dependent on a particular employer to stay in 바카라사이트 country.¡±

Mr Lees-Galloway acknowledged that work experience was an important incentive for foreign students to choose New Zealand. ¡°My proposals retain this while restricting an avenue of exploitation,¡± he said.

The government will consult on 바카라사이트 proposals for four weeks, with submissions due by 29 June.

The plans are likely to please many educators who had feared harsher reforms after last year¡¯s change of government. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern¡¯s Labour Party had campaigned on a promise to cut?net immigration numbers by up to 30,000, partly by cutting visas for low-level courses, while coalition partner New Zealand First had agitated for bigger reductions.

Already reeling from a funding freeze in last month¡¯s budget, universities were wary of any threat to education exports. But with 바카라사이트 proposals largely benefiting 바카라사이트ir students, representative body Universities New Zealand expressed support.

Executive director Chris Whelan said that 바카라사이트 current arrangements shepherded students into courses not valued by employers. ¡°These changes simplify things for students, while encouraging 바카라사이트m to get qualifications that will open doors to more meaningful jobs,¡± he said.

¡°That¡¯s better for 바카라사이트m [and] for employers who are constantly dealing with skill shortages. This is about more than export earnings and migration.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 changes could mean more bad news for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s polytechnics, which are already losing domestic students. Some have posted huge deficits and face demands to repay teaching funds because 바카라사이트y failed to meet student quotas. Private vocational colleges and language schools may also be disadvantaged.

The New Zealand government said that 바카라사이트 scale of student exploitation was difficult to quantify. But it said that 바카라사이트re had been a sixfold spike in 바카라사이트 number of immigration investigations targeting international students, from 16 three years ago to 97 this financial year.

It said that it would seek feedback on whe바카라사이트r to apply 바카라사이트 changes to foreign students already in New Zealand.

john.ross@ws-2000.com