The New Zealand government has announced a 90 per cent increase in student visa fees for Nigerians and citizens of other non-Pacific countries.
According to information given on the New Zealand Immigration website, the new visa fee will be applicable from October 1, 2024.
Currently, the student visa fee is NZD395 (about $238).
However, from October, this fee will increase to NZD750 (about $452) for applicants from countries such as Nigeria.
The fee revision is part of broader adjustments across various visa categories to more closely align fees with the actual cost of processing applications.
New Zealand's visa application process is classified into three different bands. Band A is for New Zealand residents who are reapplying for a visa, Band B covers citizens of Pacific countries, and Band C applies to citizens of other parts of the world, including Nigeria.
For student visas, the fees were previously set as follows: NZD375 for Band A, NZD315 for Band B, and NZD395 for Band C. With the new adjustments, the fees have been revised extensively, with a significant impact on Band C applicants.
The fee hike extends beyond student visas. Post-study work visas, which previously cost NZD700 ($422) for Band C applicants, will now rise 139% to NZD1,670 (about $1,006).
Work visas have also seen a significant increase. For example, the fee for a skilled residence visa under Band C has increased from NZD2,480 ($1,494) to NZD2,880 ($1,735), representing a 16% increase.
Similar adjustments have been made for other visa categories, with entrepreneur work visa fees seeing a significant increase, although specific figures for the new fees have not been detailed.
The New Zealand Government justifies these fee increases as necessary to bring visa fees in line with the actual costs of processing applications.
However, to support regional neighbours, the government has opted to continue providing discounted visa fees for applicants from Pacific countries.
According to a report by Indian Travel Times, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford stressed that despite these increases, New Zealand's visa fees will remain competitive compared to Australia and the United Kingdom.
In addition to the fee adjustments, the Government has also made updates to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.
The AEWV fee has been reduced from NZD540 to NZD480, and its immigration fee will be significantly increased from NZD210 to NZD1,060.
This visa is central to New Zealand’s efforts to prioritise local workers, and allows employers to hire skilled migrants during times of genuine labour shortage.
In addition, new requirements have been introduced for migrant workers under the AEWV scheme.
These include an English language requirement for migrants applying for low-skilled roles under the Australia and New Zealand Standard Occupation Classification (ANZSCO) levels 4 and 5.
Employers will now also have to liaise with New Zealand's welfare agency, Work and Income, before obtaining approval to employ migrants in these positions.
Additionally, the maximum continuous stay period for most posts at these levels will be reduced from five years to three years.
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