Student Immigration Policy Overview and initiatives

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Student Immigration Policy Overview and
initiatives
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Discussion topics

• Executive government and the Department of Labour
• The policy process
• The strategic framework for international
  education
• Recent initiatives
• Work opportunities
• Study to residence
• Ongoing issues
• Changing course and provider
• Domestic student status
• Domestic student status of non-resident children

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Who are we?

• In 2004 the New Zealand Immigration Service
  (NZIS) was formally brought under the umbrella of
  the Department of Labour (DoL).
• We are now known as the Department of Labour
  (Immigration) onshore, and as Immigration New
  Zealand, or INZ offshore.
• The DoL is phasing out the NZIS brand, so you
  will see less and less of NZIS and more of DoL
  (Immigration), or INZ.

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Executive Government

• Cabinet makes decisions on Government policy
• Ministers submit Cabinet papers to Cabinet
  colleagues to get discussion and decisions on
  specific aspects of Government policy pertinent
  to their portfolio.

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Policy Decisions

• The Minister of Immigrations role is to be
  responsible for implementing the Governments
  immigration agenda
• Key initiatives for this term include
• Achievement of the annual New Zealand Immigration
  Programme
• Immigration Act Review
• Progression of the Immigration Advisors Bill

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Role of the Department of Labour

• The Chief Executive of the Department of Labour
  has a contract with the Minister of Immigration
  called the Statement of Intent.
• The Statement of Intent (SOI) sets out the
  outcomes the Department of Labour will achieve
  and the actions taken to achieve those outcomes.
• The SOI also identifies the way the results will
  be measured, the capability needed to achieve
  them and the budgets for the year.

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Immigration Policy

• Government immigration policy is developed and
  operationalised by the Department of Labours
  Immigration Service
• Advice to Government on policy initiatives is
  provided by the Immigration Policy Branch
• That advice is in the form of Cabinet Papers,
  briefing papers and oral briefings

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Service Design

• Initial analysis work on the impacts of proposed
  changes is undertaken by the Operational Policy
  team during development of advice to Ministers
• Once policy proposals are agreed by the Cabinet
  specific advice is provided to the Minister on
  the implementation of the new policy by Service
  Design Branch
• This is usually in the form of a briefing paper
  with a draft of the new policy rules that go in
  the Operations Manual

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The strategic framework for international
education

• Export education should
• Strengthen New Zealand education
• Produce sustainable increasing economic benefit
  to New Zealand
• Maximise the contribution to broader social
  economic strategies

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The 2005 student immigration policy review

• Found that, in general, student policy was sound
• Produced, a new guiding statement
• Enhanced work opportunities for students and
  their partners
• Smoother pathway from study to residence
• Further work was directed on
• Changing course and provider
• Monitoring and compliance

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Guiding statement for student immigration policy

• Immigration student policy contributes to
  sustainable economic development by
• facilitating students entry, particularly those
  with skills talents we need
• increasing global connectedness
• supporting sustainable growth of export education
  capability
• earning foreign exchange
• strengthening New Zealand education
• managing risk maintaining social cohesion

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Expanded work opportunities

• Work hours up from 15 to 20 a week for
• Students in full time course of at least two
  years OR in a course resulting in points under
  SMC
• Year 12/13 school students in full time study
  with parental school permission
• Tertiary students in full-time study of at least
  six months where primary purpose is to develop
  English language skills with IELTS overall band
  score of 5.0 or above at time of application for
  student visa or permit

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expanded work opportunities

• Students in courses of 12 months or more may work
  full time over summer holidays (except school
  students not yet in Years 12 or 13)
• Partners of students studying for qualifications
  in areas of absolute skill shortage partners of
  postgraduate students are eligible for an open
  work permit

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Smoother path from study to residence

• Existing post-study two year work permit remains
  (job offer required - eligibility clarified to
  include students graduating from PTEs as well as
  universities polytechnics)
• New six month open work permit (no job offer
  required) for students graduating from a course
  eligible to get points under SMC

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Ongoing policy issues

• Changing course and provider
• Compliance and monitoring of education providers
  and students
• Domestic student status of non-resident school
  children

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Other initatives of interest

• Immigration Act Review
• Immigration Advisers Bill

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Where do I go for more information?

• Our website at www.immigration.govt.nz