NEW ZEALAND may be the next major destination for Filipinos looking to study abroad as immigration data showed that Philippine student visa application approvals surged in 2025 and 2026.
According to Auckland-based education and immigration consultancy Right Education NZ (RENZ), official immigration data show that more than 6,200 student visa applications from the Philippines were approved, up from 4,726 the past year.
Meanwhile, only two Southeast Asian countries outpaced the Philippines in growth, with Lao PDR and Malaysia posting 34.3 percent and 32.5 percent, respectively. However, the Philippines still edged them in raw numbers as the country is reported to be ‘growing fastest in scale.’
As Filipinos have looked for opportunities to get permanent residency abroad, especially in English-speaking countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, the data meant that the Filipinos’ interest in residency and education in New Zealand is continuously growing.
Asked what makes New Zealand attractive to more Filipinos, Managing Director Jay Arañas of RENZ told BusinessMirror that this jump was due to the country’s consistent immigration policies and living standards.
Arañas explained that immigration policy has always been consistent for many years: ‘New Zealand has a straight pathway because when you [go there, your studies can be an entry point. When you finish], you will get a post-study work visa which will allow you to stay.’
He added that those who find work and qualify for residency can apply immediately.
For the family’s future
THOSE taking their postgraduate studies also have an avenue to migrate with their family to the Oceanic country. According to Arañas, ‘Filipinos usually would like to migrate for the future of their children. It’s easy to get residency, as long as you meet the [policies’ requirements].’
The RENZ official also said that most of their clients are undertaking postgraduate studies, citing migration with their family as the focal point of their decision to study in New Zealand.
‘Right now, the majority of our clients are taking a Master’s degree because with them, they can bring their spouse while they have an open work visa so they can work anywhere. They can also bring the kids, and they [kids] can study for free,’ Arañas said.
Still, the managing director cited growing demand among those still finishing their Bachelor’s programs. He also revealed that engineering and nursing courses are their top choices for Bachelor’s programs, while those pursuing postgraduate studies are inclined toward management because of their work experience.
Ideal conditions
OTHER factors include safety and peace, as New Zealand is ranked second on the 2026 Global Peace Index. The cost of living and tuition fees are lower than in the United States and the United Kingdom, and comparable to Australia and Canada.
While it is more affordable than the US and UK, the costs could still be hefty for some, as migrating to another country like New Zealand is also an investment.
‘The tuition fee here is paid before your visa is granted. Tuition fees can range from NZ$30,000 to NZ$65,000, on top of the cost of living,’ Arañas illustrated. ‘For a person to study, [a minimum of about P1.7 million will be needed, but about P700,000 or NZ$20,000] is ‘show money.”
‘It’s an investment in [the future, and of children],’ he added. He shared a client’s account of a family already enjoying the gains, or ‘returns on investment,’ because they are free from paying their child’s tuition from Year 9 through university.