Gurjinder Singh
The common saying ‘Buyer Beware’ is still relevant, especially in the case of students keen on pursuing education overseas.
It is well known that a majority of students (especially from India) arriving in New Zealand are keen to become permanent residents.
However, they should do their homework, understand the New Zealand economy and the requirements of the job market before leaving their country.
They should not blame education providers and rogue commission agents later when they experience difficulty in securing jobs or the necessary approvals from Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
Easy Pathway
The general perception is that New Zealand is an easy pathway to obtaining residence.
“Students completing two years of successful tertiary study have the advantage of obtaining a post-study work visa (for three years), which, in some circumstances, can lead to a Skilled Migrant Category residency application.”
Permanent Residence status is now linked to the offer of skilled employment.
Enrolment as an overseas student can be a step towards residence, if that person obtains a skilled job, which is very difficult to define.
A mirage
New Zealand is an agricultural economy and a country of primary industries with a large number of small businesses.
We have neither a well-developed service sector like the USA nor a secondary sector like China, which can absorb educated job aspirants.
New Zealand employers need workers who know the street language and understand the local culture and work ethics.
Students with Level 8 qualifications pay hefty fees to education providers, lured by work visas for their partners. Later, after availing job search visas for one year, they find to their dismay that there are New Zealanders with their skills in the job market.
The study of Level 8 involves strategic decisions and policymaking; no business entity will provide a job to fresh foreign graduates who have no knowledge of the business environment. Students with Level 7 qualification are on the same boat.
System loopholes
International students completing their studies in America, Europe and Canada find it harder to meet the legal requirements to obtain jobs because these countries have successfully plugged the loopholes in their systems.
A larger number of them end up as illegal immigrants. According to reports, there are more than 10 million of them in America and the government is not sure how to handle the issue.
Permanent residence would be possible only if a foreigner obtains a skilled job.
With exploitation of foreign workers increasing, it is important to check the status of employers, their record of payment of salaries and working conditions.
My advice to students who are keen to become permanent residents in New Zealand is that they should choose carefully a course of study that will assure them employment. INZ website has ‘Skills Shortage List Checker’ on its website.
International students should also consult experienced and honest education advisers on the right courses and institutions to achieve their objective.
Students should also be aware that if they do not obtain residence after their two-year post-study work visa, then they must qualify for a work visa under one of other work policies such as Essential Skills.
Unscrupulous agents
Unregistered and unscrupulous immigration agents offshore continue to challenge the efforts of INZ to have in place a system that is transparent and fair. Such agents remain beyond the legal reach of INZ and the New Zealand government.
There is an apparent lack of willingness on the part of the federal and state governments in India to enforce legislation to prevent rogue agents from exploiting innocent students and potential immigrants.
Disseminating proper information and making students understand the ground realities before approving their applications for student visas is one of the most effective ways of bringing the problem under control.
Gurjinder Pal Singh is a Licensed Immigration Advisor based in Papatoetoe, South Auckland. He can be contacted on (09) 2786580 or 021-2354969
