International students coming to study in New Zealand will be required to provide health insurance cover as a part of their application process, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced.
A number of changes affecting applicants in other categories have also been introduced, all of which took effect on July 30, 2012.
An INZ notification claimed that the changes would streamline and improve immigration health screening.
Medical Certificates remain in force, but heath screening has become compulsory for potential immigrants from a number of countries.
According to the notification, student visas will be processed only if the applicants provide health insurance cover acceptable to INZ.
However, foreign fee-paying students pursuing PhD courses and those applying under the New Zealand Aid Programme will be exempt from this requirement.
Screening for TB
“Partners and dependent children of New Zealand citizens and residents, and people who have been recognised as having refugee or protection status in New Zealand (and their partners and children), will only be screened for medical conditions for which a medical waiver cannot be granted,” the notification said.
However, all international students will be screened for tuberculosis (TB), which will require them to provide a chest X-ray certificate, unless there are identified risk factors.
Partners and dependent children of New Zealand citizens and residents who were
eligible for inclusion in a residence application made by their partner or parent, but were not included in, or were withdrawn from their partner or parent’s application, will be required to undergo full medical screening rather than limited screening, if they apply for any type of visa in the future.
They will also be ineligible for a medical waiver if they do not have an acceptable standard of health.
“Applicants, who have spent six consecutive months since their last application in any country outside the list of countries with a low incidence of TB must be rescreened, requiring them to provide a new chest X-ray certificate.
“These changes will not affect the outcome of applications lodged before July 30, 2012. Amendments have also been made to our medical and chest X-ray certificates and we may accept earlier versions of medical and chest X-ray certificates until December 31, 2012,” the statement said.
Those applying for temporary entry class and residence class visas would be able to re-use previously submitted medical and chest X-ray certificates, provided they are less than 36 months old and the applicants have not been identified as risks.
“Where it has been determined that it is likely that an applicant will impose significant cost or demand on New Zealand’s health or special education services, the applicant’s (or other party’s) ability to pay for or provide health or special education services, has no bearing on whether they will impose significant cost or demand on these services,” the notification added.
