International Students: increasingly feeling unwelcome in NZ
Currently, international students and skilled migration system are at the heart of growing public disquiet around the current immigration levels in New Zealand. The way this debate has been set in public eye appears to castigate the entire system as a sham. The allegation being put forward is that international education has become a backdoor route to immigration. This way, serious questions have been raised about the quality of international students and the overall value they bring to the New Zealand society. These seemingly correct questions are backed by facts, assertions, and individual experiences of a few. Similarly, the government is rebutting these arguments on the basis of a few facts and their assertions. Either way, both sides appears to be off target in finding ways to improve the system and enhancing the overall international education experience in New Zealand for those who chose to come to New Zealand. Apparently, the main reason for this is that both sides–those who are thrashing the government and the government itself–have a gap in their accurate understanding of some of the main aspects of global international education environment and market specific behaviour. This piece seeks to address some of the key stereotypes related to the Indian segment of the international education market.
A key stereotype gaining traction in public eyes is that most of the international students from India have poor English language skills and are as a rule seeking to escape from the torturous grill of poverty and corruption-ridden life back home. Although not completely incorrect, it is still far removed from the reality and an accurate reading of Indian students’ global mobility and the Indian segment of the international education market. The choice of international education and the destination of pursuing that international education, like migration, is a complex choice determined by multiple factors. Any oversimplified understanding of factors determining international education choices of the prospective students, especially from India, has a potential to create complacency in shaping New Zealand's responses to the international education market.
In a similar vein, another prominent stereotype getting much attention is the stories of seemingly rampant exploitation of Indian international students, largely by ethnic Indian employers. These exploitation stories are being repeatedly linked with the quality of international students coming to New Zealand, their apparent less-privileged situation back home, and are thereby contributing towards an unwelcome environment for the international students. In this regard, two points deserve some attention. First, the need for an urgent and stern action against the unscrupulous employers exploiting international students in a precarious work situation cannot be overemphasised. This is not required as a mark of commitment to help international students in distress. Instead, this is required as a commitment to New Zealand's value system and reputation as a fair place to live and work.
Secondly, it is important to note the fact that the life journey of a migrant is relatively tough and is widely acknowledged in the realms of international politics. Migrants, regardless of their country of origin, ethnicity, social and religious background and the choice of dreamed destination, experience considerable challenges. Even the Kiwis who choose to fly off to distant lands of London, New York, and beyond do not always have a dream start to their lives at their chosen destinations. There are numerous stories of humble beginnings and the poor run of many prospective Kiwi migrants in those distant cherished destinations. Probably this is the reason why even United Nations prefers to club migrants together with refugees and other people uprooted from their natural habitat either by force or by choice to create maximum global awareness about how best to assist them. Towards this goal, there is a need to create a socio-political environment that makes a migrant's life journey less stressful and they are welcomed in their dreamed destination. New Zealand is no exception. In this regard, the temptation to create a poor man's story out of every international student's personal misery should be resisted. Such frequent stories in public attention create more drama than urgent actions and policy responses to ameliorate the plight of people in distress. Above all, it creates a negative profile of all international students in the country.
International student mobility is the current reality of global politics, and India has emerged as the second largest source-destination driving this international student mobility market. In 2015, India had sent 360,000 students overseas around the world with a 17.8% growth in the numbers from the previous year— the second year in a row that India’s growth rate has been higher than China. Only 29,000 managed to come to New Zealand during this period, which is eight per cent share of the Indian market of international students. This clearly suggests that there is still a vast market out there waiting to be tapped by New Zealand. Also important to note is the fact that New Zealand's recent success in penetrating the Indian student market is in part because of a rapid decline was seen in the UK market. There has been a stupendous 49% increase in the number of Indian students coming to New Zealand in 2014 immediately after the UK chose to unleash several "unfriendly" policies for the international students. At the end of the day, the UK's revenue loss is New Zealand's gain, and there is a need for us to be less inclined to follow UK's path in the global education market. Tempering the urge to make a poor man's image out of international students’ individual miserable situations would possibly be in everyone's best interests.
Currently, international students and skilled migration system are at the heart of growing public disquiet around the current immigration levels in New Zealand. The way this debate has been set in public eye appears to castigate the entire system as a sham. The allegation being put forward is that...
Currently, international students and skilled migration system are at the heart of growing public disquiet around the current immigration levels in New Zealand. The way this debate has been set in public eye appears to castigate the entire system as a sham. The allegation being put forward is that international education has become a backdoor route to immigration. This way, serious questions have been raised about the quality of international students and the overall value they bring to the New Zealand society. These seemingly correct questions are backed by facts, assertions, and individual experiences of a few. Similarly, the government is rebutting these arguments on the basis of a few facts and their assertions. Either way, both sides appears to be off target in finding ways to improve the system and enhancing the overall international education experience in New Zealand for those who chose to come to New Zealand. Apparently, the main reason for this is that both sides–those who are thrashing the government and the government itself–have a gap in their accurate understanding of some of the main aspects of global international education environment and market specific behaviour. This piece seeks to address some of the key stereotypes related to the Indian segment of the international education market.
A key stereotype gaining traction in public eyes is that most of the international students from India have poor English language skills and are as a rule seeking to escape from the torturous grill of poverty and corruption-ridden life back home. Although not completely incorrect, it is still far removed from the reality and an accurate reading of Indian students’ global mobility and the Indian segment of the international education market. The choice of international education and the destination of pursuing that international education, like migration, is a complex choice determined by multiple factors. Any oversimplified understanding of factors determining international education choices of the prospective students, especially from India, has a potential to create complacency in shaping New Zealand's responses to the international education market.
In a similar vein, another prominent stereotype getting much attention is the stories of seemingly rampant exploitation of Indian international students, largely by ethnic Indian employers. These exploitation stories are being repeatedly linked with the quality of international students coming to New Zealand, their apparent less-privileged situation back home, and are thereby contributing towards an unwelcome environment for the international students. In this regard, two points deserve some attention. First, the need for an urgent and stern action against the unscrupulous employers exploiting international students in a precarious work situation cannot be overemphasised. This is not required as a mark of commitment to help international students in distress. Instead, this is required as a commitment to New Zealand's value system and reputation as a fair place to live and work.
Secondly, it is important to note the fact that the life journey of a migrant is relatively tough and is widely acknowledged in the realms of international politics. Migrants, regardless of their country of origin, ethnicity, social and religious background and the choice of dreamed destination, experience considerable challenges. Even the Kiwis who choose to fly off to distant lands of London, New York, and beyond do not always have a dream start to their lives at their chosen destinations. There are numerous stories of humble beginnings and the poor run of many prospective Kiwi migrants in those distant cherished destinations. Probably this is the reason why even United Nations prefers to club migrants together with refugees and other people uprooted from their natural habitat either by force or by choice to create maximum global awareness about how best to assist them. Towards this goal, there is a need to create a socio-political environment that makes a migrant's life journey less stressful and they are welcomed in their dreamed destination. New Zealand is no exception. In this regard, the temptation to create a poor man's story out of every international student's personal misery should be resisted. Such frequent stories in public attention create more drama than urgent actions and policy responses to ameliorate the plight of people in distress. Above all, it creates a negative profile of all international students in the country.
International student mobility is the current reality of global politics, and India has emerged as the second largest source-destination driving this international student mobility market. In 2015, India had sent 360,000 students overseas around the world with a 17.8% growth in the numbers from the previous year— the second year in a row that India’s growth rate has been higher than China. Only 29,000 managed to come to New Zealand during this period, which is eight per cent share of the Indian market of international students. This clearly suggests that there is still a vast market out there waiting to be tapped by New Zealand. Also important to note is the fact that New Zealand's recent success in penetrating the Indian student market is in part because of a rapid decline was seen in the UK market. There has been a stupendous 49% increase in the number of Indian students coming to New Zealand in 2014 immediately after the UK chose to unleash several "unfriendly" policies for the international students. At the end of the day, the UK's revenue loss is New Zealand's gain, and there is a need for us to be less inclined to follow UK's path in the global education market. Tempering the urge to make a poor man's image out of international students’ individual miserable situations would possibly be in everyone's best interests.
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