Right Education NZ says family friendly visa settings and
lower costs than other English speaking study destinations are fuelling the
rise
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, 10 August 2026. Philippine
student visa approvals to New Zealand rose 31.5 percent in the past financial
year, official immigration data shows, outpacing nearly every other major
Southeast Asian market.
Immigration New Zealand approved 6,214 Philippine student
visa applications in the 2025/26 financial year, up from 4,726 the year before.
The figures come directly from Immigration New Zealand's own published
statistics.
Only two other Southeast Asian markets grew faster in
percentage terms, Laos at 34.3 percent and Malaysia at 32.5 percent, but
neither comes close in raw numbers. The Philippines sent more than double the
students of Vietnam, the next largest Southeast Asian source country, and
nearly five times as many as Indonesia. Among the region's biggest markets, the
Philippines is now growing fastest at scale.
Right Education NZ (RENZ), an Auckland based
education and immigration consultancy that guides Filipino students and their
families through the full journey of studying, working, and settling in New
Zealand, points to two forces behind the surge: the ability for families to
migrate together, and New Zealand's affordability compared with other English
speaking study destinations.
“The numbers confirm what we're seeing every week,” said
Jay Aranas, Managing Director of Right Education NZ. “Filipino families
aren't just asking whether they can study in New Zealand. They're asking
whether the whole family can move together, without anyone being left behind.
New Zealand's visa settings, including pathways like the Partner of a Student
work visa, allow a spouse to work while the primary applicant studies, and
dependent children to come too. For a lot of families, that changes the whole decision.”
That decision is easier to make given New Zealand's global
standing on safety. The country ranked second on the 2026 Global Peace Index,
published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, behind only Iceland, a
factor Jay says weighs heavily on parents choosing where to send their
children.
Cost is the other factor RENZ points to. Recent comparative
analyses show New Zealand tuition and living costs sitting below the United
States and United Kingdom, and broadly in line with or slightly under Australia
and Canada, while still offering a globally ranked, English speaking education
system and a clear pathway from study to work to residence.
“For a lot of the families we work with, this isn't about
finding the cheapest option. It's about finding the option that makes sense for
the whole family, without the financial strain of somewhere like the US or UK,” Jay
said. “When you put those two things together, a pathway that keeps the family
together and a cost that doesn't demand an extraordinary sacrifice, it's not
surprising the Philippines is now leading the region.”
Right Education NZ (RENZ) expects the trend to
continue as more Filipino families become aware of New Zealand's family
friendly visa settings, and is encouraging prospective students to begin
planning early ahead of upcoming intake periods.
About Right Education NZ
Founded in 2014, Right Education NZ is an Auckland-based
education and immigration consultancy supporting Filipino students and their
families through every stage of studying, working, and settling in New Zealand,
from course and visa applications through to family inclusive visa pathways.
Right Education NZ works closely with New Zealand institutions and immigration
advisers to help families navigate the process with clarity and confidence.
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