Polytechnics losing foreign enrolments due to study visa wait times, Te Pūkenga warns
by John Gerritsen · RNZTe Pūkenga is warning its polytechnics are losing valuable foreign enrolments because of study visa wait times.
Immigration New Zealand says it is taking seven weeks to process study visa applications for Te Pūkenga, compared to four weeks for applicants going to universities and six weeks for those going to private tertiary institutes.
The issue is high stakes for Te Pūkenga.
Its polytechnics made large deficits in recent years and are keen to rebuild international enrolments which were worth $187 million in fees before the pandemic and about $132m this year.
"Sixty million [dollars] down is significant. If we could get back to those pre-pandemic levels that makes a significant impact to our viability in both the short-term and the medium-term," Te Pūkenga chief executive Gus Gilmore said.
He told RNZ it wanted quicker visa processing.
"We're in a global market for international students, they have choices and will often apply for more than one country.
"So the faster New Zealand can process students and and give them confirmation the more enrolments we believe we can make."
Te Pūkenga had offered places to 25 percent more foreign students than at the same time last year but the number of enrolments was only nine percent higher, Gilmore said.
Immigration NZ told RNZ Te Pūkenga's longer wait times were due to the fact many of its prospective students were applying via a method that meant they did not provide their tuition fee until they had received approval in principle from Immigration NZ.
"Students select AIP as it gives them the security of an approval in principle, before transferring large sums of money to New Zealand. Using AIP can add around two weeks or longer to processing, as students work to gather the required documents," it said.
Immigration NZ should employ more people to process study visas during peak application times, Gilmore said.
But Immigration NZ said it had about 120 full-time equivalent staff on the job compared to 77 in November last year.
Applications from students in India were taking an average of four weeks for students at all tertiary providers, including Te Pūkenga, Immigration NZ said.
However, Te Pūkenga had the lowest visa approval rate at 66 percent, just below 67 percent for private institutions and well behind universities at 90 percent and schools at 97 percent.
"For international student applications decided since 1 January 2024, the approval rate for Indian students by education provider was: private training establishments 49 percent; Te Pūkenga 56 percent; and universities 74 percent," Immigration NZ said.
"In the university sector, most Indian students apply to study a level 9 master's degree. For Te Pūkenga, most Indian students apply to study at level 7. The majority apply to study bachelor degrees followed by graduate diplomas. At [private institutions], most Indian students apply to study at level 7, of which half are diploma or graduate diplomas, followed by bachelor degrees."
Rapid growth in enrolments from India in the past was accompanied by significant problems, with suspected fraud and exploitation of students and graduates.
Immigration NZ even suspected tertiary institution staff of fraud and corruption.
Gilmore said he had the greatest confidence in the integrity of his staff and Te Pūkenga cut ties if it had concerns about any international student recruitment agents.
"I'm very confident that it's improved significantly. The risk-profiling that Te Pūkenga and the polytechs do themselves, coupled with very robust risk profiling done by Immigration New Zealand ensures that we are getting the students we need into our country."
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