Exemption to allow some international students to return to Otago

Photo: ODT files
Photo: ODT files
The University of Otago says it will contact international students who could return to finish their studies in Dunedin as early as April after the Government moved yesterday to ease border restrictions for some international students.

The Government yesterday approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions due to Covid-19 began.

The exception will allow 300 students to return to New Zealand from April with more students entering the country over the course of the year as capacity at managed isolation facilities allowed.

University of Otago international director Jason Cushen said it was too early to speculate how many students would return to Otago as a result of the announcement.

But the university would work with the Ministry of Education, Immigration New Zealand and others to enable ‘‘some’’ students to return to study on campus this year, he said.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the annual economic value of 1000 degree-level international students was estimated to be about $49 million in wider economic contribution to the economy, including about $27 million in tuition fees.

Yesterday’s decision showed the Government’s commitment to the international education sector, which was important in the country’s long-term economic recovery plan, Mr Hipkins said.

Students would be subject to the same border rules and quarantine regime as all other arrivals, he said.

They would have to book through the allocation system and would be billed the standard charges for managed isolation.

They would also need to be able to do more to support themselves in New Zealand, with the living expenses that were required for international students to be granted a visa now raised to $20,000, up from $15,000 previously.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry said priority would be given to students who were closest to graduation.

Comments

There are over 15,000 Kiwis waiting to get back into NZ and have been blocked ("temporarily") because of the lack of MIQ and air ticket spaces. (Try booking a flight from say Hong Kong or say France to NZ along with a MIQ spot, and you will see what I mean). That temporary time frame is now in the many months for some living in far away lands. And yet we want non-Kiwi students (or cricketers and other sports persons) to take some of those precious spaces? Why are Kiwis second class citizens in our own country? We do not need the money?- heck the Government printed $100 billion out of thin air via is long term asset purchase programme. Whats is $27-50m compared to that?

You are so right. International cricket teams, movie production people, and now international students? The situation is like stopping your child coming home from school because you've managed to find someone willing to pay to stay in their room overnight. As citizens, is it not our Government's first responsibility to ensure we are safe? Our government should remember that foreign cricketers, movie makers and students don't get to vote!

Careful now!

We should all prepare for Level 4 Alert lockdown. This is an awful idea.

 

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