{"id":276947,"date":"2026-02-10T13:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T13:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/276947\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T13:28:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T13:28:12","slug":"overseas-student-numbers-at-record-high-for-time-of-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/276947\/","title":{"rendered":"Overseas student numbers at record high for time of year"},"content":{"rendered":"

The number of overseas students in New Zealand has hit a record high for the time of year.<\/p>\n

The latest figures from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show there were 76,215 people in NZ on student visas at the end of January this year.<\/p>\n

That’s up 13.3% compared to January last year, and is the highest number for the month of January according to MBIE figures which date to 2016.<\/p>\n

Although the total number of overseas students has recovered strongly post pandemic restrictions and now sit at a record high, there have been important changes in the composition of the overseas students.<\/p>\n

Most of the growth in numbers has come from school aged students aged up to 19 years-old, while the number of those aged 20 and above has slumped from previous highs.<\/p>\n

The implication is that more overseas students are attending secondary school, while fewer are attending NZ tertiary institutions such as universities and polytechs.<\/p>\n

That trend is not new.<\/p>\n

The graph below shows the total numbers on student visas aged 0-19, and those aged 20+ at the end of each month from July 2015 to January 2026.<\/p>\n

It clearly shows that those aged 0-19 were steadily increasing in number up until 2020, while the number of those aged 20 and above was in a slow but steady decline.<\/p>\n

The number of overseas school students overtook the number of tertiary students at the start of 2020.<\/p>\n

The numbers of both groups then slumped sharply in 2021\/22 due to pandemic restrictions, with the older group declining more quickly than the younger group. (See graph below).<\/p>\n

Although the numbers of both groups have since recovered and resumed their normal seasonal trends since 2023, school students numbers have recovered more quickly than tertiary student numbers.<\/p>\n

While school student numbers hit a record high for the month of January last month, the number of older students aged 20 and above remains down by 43% compared to its 2016 January peak.<\/p>\n

The difference in the composition of overseas students has important economic implications, not just for educational institutions but for the wider economy.<\/p>\n

School aged students are likely to be boarding or living with friends or family, while older students have a significant impact on the rental property market, particularly for apartments and flats near their study centres.<\/p>\n

And of course older students can be a significant source of revenue for the hospitality industry, so a downturn in their numbers can hit the bars, cafes and entertainment venues they like to frequent.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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