Work visa arrivals in New Zealand declined for the second consecutive month, signalling a potential slowdown in the influx of overseas workers since pandemic restrictions were eased. In July, the number of people arriving on work visas dropped to 14,238, down from 16,878 in June and 17,319 in May, according to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
However, despite the decline, the numbers are still close to pre-pandemic levels, with 102,624 arrivals from February to July this year compared to 111,120 in the same period in 2019. The trend is also reflected in the graph below, indicating that peak numbers may not be reached until January next year. At the end of July, there were 149,220 people in New Zealand on work visas, a significant decrease from the peak of 222,036 in March 2020. The decline was largely due to a transfer of 204,504 people from work visas to residence visas under the limited-time 2021 Residence Visa Scheme.
On the other hand, student visa arrivals have shown a sharp increase, with 12,438 arrivals in July. Although they follow the pre-pandemic seasonal pattern, the total numbers are still lower than in previous years. At the end of July, there were 52,248 people in New Zealand on student visas, compared to 86,100 in July 2019. The international education sector still has a long way to go to recover to pre-pandemic levels. We value your comments and encourage respectful and insightful debate. Please register to comment if you haven’t already.
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Vandana Rai is a Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser and has built a reputation around her rare set of skills, which could be considered ideal for her legal profession.