Education New Zealand’s latest figures show Manawatu-Whanganui is the only region to experience double-digit growth in the number of new student visas issued, in the year to September 2018.

The number of first-time student visas increased by 12 per cent, which is significant growth compared to a five per cent lift in Canterbury and declining numbers in Auckland, Wellington and Otago.

“As a region, we can collectively be very proud of our combined efforts and this achievement,” says CEDA’s International Education Development Manager, Judy Bennett-Smith.

“Growth in the number of first-time visas is significant because they are new students who have applied to come to New Zealand and have chosen to study and live in Manawatū. This indicates the strategy and approach we are taking is paying off.”

The Education Minister Chris Hipkins this week announced new research that shows international education’s economic impact is now estimated to be $5.1 billion in New Zealand, after the Government has taken a different approach to capturing this information. For Manawatū, the value of the sector is now estimated to be $115 million, with an additional $7.4 million spent by visiting friends and relatives, a figure that hasn’t previously been captured. See more information and infographics for the Manawatu-Whanganui region.