The New Zealand government has announced a 90% hike in student visa fees for Nigerians and other students from non-pacific countries.
The new visa fee will become effective from October 1, 2024, as per details on the New Zealand immigration website.
The student visa fee currently stands at $38. However, it is expected to rise to about $452 per applicant from other countries such as Nigeria.
The fee revision is part of a more comprehensive adjustment across visa categories that aligns closely with the actual costs of processing applications.
According to reports, New Zealand’s visa application process is divided into three bands.
Band A is for New Zealand residents applying for visas, Band B is for citizens from the Pacific regions, and Band C applies to other citizens from other parts of the world, such as Nigeria.
The country previously set student visas at NNZD375 for Band A, NZD315 for Band B, and NZD395 for Band C.
However, with the new adjustments, the fees have been revised across all the bands, highly impacting Band C applicants.
The fee increases extend beyond student visas. It also includes Post-study visas, which cost $422 for Band C applicants but will rise by 139% to $1,006.
Work visa fees have also been affected, with skilled residence visas under Band C rising from $1,494 to $1,735, representing a 16% increase.
Other visa categories have also seen similar adjustments, with Entrepreneur Work Visa costs significantly increasing.
The country’s government justified these hikes as necessary to align with the actual costs of processing applications.
Reports say the government has opted to maintain subsidised visa fees from Pacific countries to support regional neighbours.
Per the report, the Immigration Minister, Erica Standford, stressed that even with the increases, the country’s visa fees will remain competitive compared to those of Australia and the UK.
The government has also introduced updates to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) initiative.
The fees under the new scheme will be reduced from NZD540 to NZD480, and its immigration levy will rise substantially from NZD210 to NNZD1,060.
Travel advisor and CEO of Goodwinds Travels and Tours, Henry Uche, disclosed that countries raise revenues through visa fees to support their foreign missions.
He said more countries are expected to hike visa fees in the coming months because they usually act in reciprocal form.
New Zealand added 17 new roles to its Green List in September last year to attract foreign workers.
