Most international students in New Zealand are from India: Report

Wellington, Jan 31 (ANI): India has reportedly become the largest source of new international students in New Zealand.

Nearly 9000 student permits have reportedly been issued to Indian students. First-time students accounted for more than half of all international students in New Zealand, the Department of Labour's migration trends and outlook 2009-10 report said.

"India has become the largest source country of new international students to New Zealand, but China remains the single largest source country of international students," it added.

An Indian student named Sandeep Singh studying at the National Technology Institute in Auckland said New Zealand was becoming a popular choice for Indian students because it was vied as a "peaceful" and "an ideal destination to study".

Marketing manager Sheela Ansari said the institute had been focused on expanding into new student markets since 2007, and felt the Indian market was one that had the potential "to just keep growing".

Over 60 percent of its students are from India, the report added.

There was reportedly a 10 percent overall growth in revenue from international students last year although student permits issued by Immigration New Zealand dropped from 73,766 in 2009 to 73,432 last year.

The number of students from China continued to fall, a trend since 2003 when they made up 47 percent of international students. Last year, China remained the largest source country, but the 14,998 Chinese students made up just about 20 per cent of international students, the lowest level since 2000, nzherald.co.nz quoted the report, as saying.

There was also drop in the number of students from countries like South Korea, United Kingdom, South Africa and Taiwan.

However, the country's experienced increases from emerging source countries such as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and India brought the largest absolute increase, up 11 per cent or 884. (ANI)