Page 6 - StudyTravel Magazine September 2025 Issue

WORLDWIDE

New visa integrity fee Growth plans and more work
for the USA rights for New Zealand
LANGUAGE SECONDARY TERTIARY ASSOCIATED LANGUAGE SECONDARY TERTIARY ASSOCIATED
resident Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, signed into law he government of New Zealand has
on July 4th, imposes a new ‘visa integrity fee’ of at least released a new plan to double the
PUS$250 on non-immigrant visas, including the F-1, M-1 and Teconomic contribution of international
J-1 student streams. education to NZ$7.2 billion by 2034.
The visa integrity fee may be reimbursed by the Secretary of It also set a target to grow international
State to non-immigrants who fully comply with the terms of their student enrolments from 83,400 in 2024 to
visa, including not accepting unauthorised employment, and 105,000 by 2027 and 119,000 by 2034.
departing promptly at the end of the visa term or obtaining lawful “With international student enrolments
extension or adjustment of status, the bill states. steadily increasing since 2023, we want to
At the time of writing, a collection mechanism for the new supercharge that growth track and make New
integrity fee was not in place. Zealand the destination of choice,” said Erica
Other measures in the bill included an Stanford, Education Minister.
increase in the Electronic System for Travel As part of the plan, New Zealand will increase
Authorization (ESTA) fee for visitors from visa in-study work rights for eligible students from
waiver countries to US$40, almost doubling 20 to 25 hours per week, from November 3rd.
from the current rate although a start date It will also extend eligibility of in-study
was not specified. https://bit.ly/4f96EPR work rights to all tertiary students in approved
exchange or study abroad programmes. More
details at: https://bit.ly/40Wu0lV
Padworth/Bishopstrow Colleges close at New Zealand’s international enrolments
start of summer delivery increased by 21 per cent in 2024 to 83,425, a

LANGUAGE SECONDARY recovery of 72 per cent against 2019 numbers,
data released by Education New Zealand
he Inspiring Futures Education group, the parent company showed, with growth across all sectors.
of UK independent schools Bishopstrow College in Wiltshire China remained the top source country with
Tand Padworth College in Reading, went into administration 27,980 enrolments, a 17 per cent increase. India
suddenly on June 30th. The closure came as Padworth was due to was again the second-largest market and reg-
welcome summer school students, while Bishopstrow had already istered a 49 per cent increase to 11,860 inter-
commenced its Academic Summer Programme. national student enrolments. The top five was
A letter sent to parents and seen by STM said that VAT on completed by Japan
private school fees had a “progressively significant impact” and (7,690 enrolments);
that they had been unable to find a buyer. English UK confirmed South Korea (3,400);
that it provided emergency support for summer students already and Thailand (2,840).
in the UK but was unable to financially assist those that hadn’t yet Full data story at:
arrived. Read more at: https://bit.ly/40xJpc1 https://bit.ly/45jLdIg

Credit (photo above): Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com SEPTEMBER 2025 3