Why Education NZ cannot do much in the Indian students’ deportation issue?
Charles Finny, Chair of Education New Zealand addressed the issues and opportunities in the international Indian student market at an INZBC event held on Wednesday, October 5.
The forum brought together a number of Private Tertiary Enterprises (PTEs), immigration and education agents on a common table to discuss different facets of the international student market in the country. The agents raised their concerns on visa rejections and declining number of students from India over the last few months.
This comes in the wake of protests by Indian students who have been handed over a deportation notice by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on the pretext of submission of fraudulent financial documents while applying for a student visa from India.
The students continue to deny any involvement in this alleged scam and are shifting responsibility on their agents back in India.
Finny stated, “Education agents are central to the Indian market where 90% of the students use the agents and there are thousands of [agents]. The authorities are planning to revise Education NZ Recognised Agents (ENZRA) program to get authentic and high quality agents and students from India.”
Following important concerns were also raised at the forum:
- With regards to students’ fake financial documents, the education providers should not be held responsible as they verify only documents of qualifications and have no control, expertise or means to check financial documents.
- Universities tie up and work with only a few chosen agents onshore and offshore, and the other registered and accredited agents are not even acknowledged.
- Education NZ is offering more Post Graduate Diploma courses to international students. Majority of the students rely on loans from financial institutions, which have now started refusing loans for anything that says ‘diploma’. To avert such situations students are looking for alternate options and shortcuts. The fake financial documents scam is a live example of it. International students should have more options to choose from, in terms of the courses, so that they can source the funding in a legitimate way.
Finny acknowledged most of the queries and promised to escalate it to INZ. He further added that there will be more dialogues and consultations with the education providers and immigration agents to review the policies so as to fills the gap between INZ and international students’ issues.
On the context of the current scenario of protesting students Finny told Indian Weekender, “The issue lies with the INZ, and Education New Zealand has no jurisdiction [on] the matter.”
Charles Finny, Chair of Education New Zealand addressed the issues and opportunities in the international Indian student market at an INZBC event held on Wednesday, October 5.
The forum brought together a number of Private Tertiary Enterprises (PTEs), immigration and education agents on a common...
Charles Finny, Chair of Education New Zealand addressed the issues and opportunities in the international Indian student market at an INZBC event held on Wednesday, October 5.
The forum brought together a number of Private Tertiary Enterprises (PTEs), immigration and education agents on a common table to discuss different facets of the international student market in the country. The agents raised their concerns on visa rejections and declining number of students from India over the last few months.
This comes in the wake of protests by Indian students who have been handed over a deportation notice by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on the pretext of submission of fraudulent financial documents while applying for a student visa from India.
The students continue to deny any involvement in this alleged scam and are shifting responsibility on their agents back in India.
Finny stated, “Education agents are central to the Indian market where 90% of the students use the agents and there are thousands of [agents]. The authorities are planning to revise Education NZ Recognised Agents (ENZRA) program to get authentic and high quality agents and students from India.”
Following important concerns were also raised at the forum:
- With regards to students’ fake financial documents, the education providers should not be held responsible as they verify only documents of qualifications and have no control, expertise or means to check financial documents.
- Universities tie up and work with only a few chosen agents onshore and offshore, and the other registered and accredited agents are not even acknowledged.
- Education NZ is offering more Post Graduate Diploma courses to international students. Majority of the students rely on loans from financial institutions, which have now started refusing loans for anything that says ‘diploma’. To avert such situations students are looking for alternate options and shortcuts. The fake financial documents scam is a live example of it. International students should have more options to choose from, in terms of the courses, so that they can source the funding in a legitimate way.
Finny acknowledged most of the queries and promised to escalate it to INZ. He further added that there will be more dialogues and consultations with the education providers and immigration agents to review the policies so as to fills the gap between INZ and international students’ issues.
On the context of the current scenario of protesting students Finny told Indian Weekender, “The issue lies with the INZ, and Education New Zealand has no jurisdiction [on] the matter.”
Leave a Comment