Kath (her nickname), 22, originally from Baguio City, set foot in Christchurch, New Zealand ten years ago without knowing how her life would change. 

Now a registered nurse in Christchurch, Kath claimed that she rarely meets Filipino scholars, but one thing she knows is that a foreign student studying in New Zealand does not come cheap.

She started to make a rundown of the expenses: while a local taking a course in nursing is charged a tuition fee of NZD7,000 per year (around PhP200,000), an international student is paying thrice as much or NZD21,000 which amounts to PhP600,000 annually.

“And that’s just tuition fee; school supplies are not yet accounted for,” she explained. 

Education New Zealand (ENZ) Acting General Manager International Ben Burrows recently announced a strategic push to attract Filipino students through scholarships and study pathways. 

However, these are particularly for areas in New Zealand highlighted as national priorities or under the country’s “Green List” of critical skills including civil engineering, agriculture, and education.

Burrows said that this effort will support the government’s broader goal to diversify their international student base while addressing national skill shortages. 

Several education roadshows will be held in Manila, Bacolod, and Cebu from 31 May to 7 June where representatives from several New Zealand institutions will guide interested applicants. 

Despite this, pathways to permanent residency is still not a guarantee, even if Green List graduate programs may have better shorts on securing post-study work visas and residency– something Filipino migrants like Kath understand very well. 

“We’re still recovering from the recession, that’s why there still aren’t that many job opportunities right now. I know some people who were laid off from work despite having a permanent resident visa or even if they’re already citizens,” she said. 

New Zealand officially exited recession in late 2024, after two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. Data from April 2025 showed a 0.7 percent growth in the last quarter of 2024, signaling cautious optimism for job growth and recovery.

The Filipina nurse also pointed out that immigration policies in New Zealand continue to shift, adding more uncertainty for migrants hoping to secure long-term residency. 

Kath’s journey began in 2015 after her father, a foreman carpenter in the Philippines, worked in New Zealand in 2012 during a wave of hiring following the Christchurch earthquake. 

Earning only P500 a day back in the Philippines, their family only has enough to get by but not enough to cover emergencies or a university tuition fee. 

Since moving to New Zealand, Kath said their quality of life has improved drastically. 

“Here, we can buy our needs and sometimes even our wants and the benefits here make a big difference: like free healthcare and educational support for primary and secondary students,” she said. 

She also took out an interest-free loan to finish her nursing degree which she now pays. 

“There’s just better opportunities, stability, and peace of mind for my family here," the Filipina said.

After a decade in the country, Kath, along with her family, said she no longer sees herself returning to the Philippines to live permanently. But she hopes others like her can find a similar sense of belonging in the country where she spent most of her life. 

“If there’s support or a scholarship that can be offered, that’s a great opportunity, it would be super helpful especially for Filipinos who want to study abroad.”