Fuel Uncertainty and Global Instability Pose Risk to International Education Sector

Education NZ warns MPs that fuel uncertainty could impact foreign enrolments, despite a billion-dollar growth target and new trade benefits with India.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 6:45 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Strategic Focus on India and Post-Study Work Rights

Despite the looming logistical challenges, ENZ is banking on the newly signed free trade agreement with India to bolster numbers. A key component of this strategy is the enhancement of post-study work visas. Sissons highlighted that students completing Bachelor or Master’s degrees in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects will benefit from extended work rights.

To solidify this relationship, ENZ has appointed its first regional director for India and recently finalized several research and scholarship agreements. The agency views the ability for graduates to remain and work in New Zealand as a critical "value-add" that will enhance both the appeal of a New Zealand qualification and the domestic economy.

Ambitious Revenue Targets and Market Diversification

In the 2024/25 academic year, New Zealand hosted nearly 84,000 international students, who contributed approximately $4.6 billion in direct spending to the national economy. ENZ has set an aggressive target to increase this economic contribution to $7.2 billion by 2034.

To reach these figures, the agency is looking beyond its traditional markets: