NZ Agents Should Be Handling Indian Student Applications
Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member
of Parliament for Northland
8 JULY 2016
NZ Agents Should Be Handling Indian Student Applications
New Zealanders licensed as agents should be handling Indian applications to study in New Zealand, not 1200 unlicensed agents in India, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament, Rt Hon Winston Peters says.
“Statistics from Immigration New Zealand reported on Radio New Zealand today reveal what is going on – large numbers of Indian applicants are not coming to New Zealand to study.
“Helped by Indian agents, many are trying to come here to get a job and to make money, knowing they can get work visas.
“From December 2015 to the end of May 2016, Immigration New Zealand declined 3854 applications from Indian ‘students’ and approved 3176.
“Unfortunately, New Zealand training institutions and the Minister of Tertiary Education Steven Joyce have no scruples about this activity.
“The institutions just want backsides on seats to fill their courses while Mr Joyce is obsessed with making the overseas student industry a major money-spinner regardless of the consequences.
“It is now clear we have an unregulated free-for-all overseas student industry reliant on too many corrupt agents in India.
“The whole application process must now be placed in the hands of licensed New Zealand agents,” Mr Peters says.
ENDS