New Zealand continues to support international students: survey

The annual survey, conducted in October by ENZ, the lead Government agency for the promotion of New Zealand education internationally, polled 1,100 New Zealanders to gauge public sentiment on the benefits and challenges of hosting international students.

For the first time, participants were asked whether they preferred an increase or decrease in international student numbers. Among respondents, 41% expressed a desire for more international students, 36% supported maintaining current levels, and only 11% favored a reduction.

Public sentiment regarding the contributions of international students remains overwhelmingly positive. Seventy-two percent of respondents agreed that international students benefit New Zealand—a consistent trend compared to 75% in 2023 and 73% in 2022.

Most New Zealanders recognize the cultural and economic advantages international students bring. The highest levels of agreement include: contributing to New Zealand’s cultural diversity (82%); helping local students learn about other cultures and ways of life (79%); supporting local businesses during their studies (79%); and bringing different perspectives to classrooms and lecture halls (78%).

"They infuse a lot of money into our economy, bring diversity into young adult lives, and they take back stories of New Zealand which hopefully make foreign tourists want to visit here," a respondent was quoted in the report.

Participants were also informed about common challenges linked to international education. However, concerns appear to be easing. The percentage of New Zealanders who believe international students use the country’s education system as a pathway to residency declined from 50% in 2022 to 44% in 2024. Similarly, the proportion who think international students make it harder for New Zealanders to find jobs fell from 28% in 2022 to 24% in 2024.

ENZ Chief Executive Amanda Malu welcomed the findings, highlighting the growing recognition of the value international students bring to local communities and the nation as a whole.

"This level of support is enormously pleasing," she said. "It tells us we can continue to steadily grow the number of international students in New Zealand and that they will continue to receive a warm welcome in our communities."

According to ICEF Monitor, New Zealand had 69,135 international students enrolled in its schools, universities, language institutes, and vocational institutions in 2023. This marked a 67% increase from 2022, representing 60% of pre-pandemic enrollment levels in 2019.

The top five source countries for these international students were China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.