150 Indian tertiary students are facing deportation after being scammed by an immigration agent.
The prominent student visa immigration agent is known for aiding the visa applications of Indian students who wish to study in New Zealand.
The Indian High Commissioner—who has already discussed immigration concerns with New Zealand authorities—finds it problematic to target the students for trusting the recommendations of their academic institution.
“Action, if any, has to be against the concerned institutions, their agents, and responsibility fixed on those who failed to supervise the process and cleared the visas on the basis of documents presented,” he said.
Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce remarked that “it’s actually the responsibility of the provider to ensure that they know who their agents are and that their agents are acting ethically and legally.”
Immigration New Zealand has been tightening application approvals, with roughly 40% of applications from India being turned down.
VUWSA President Jonathan Gee said “The system needs to have more of a heart for these students who have spent thousands yet have been duped.”
Of the 125,000 international students currently studying in New Zealand, 60% of them use immigration agents.