NZ International Education Exports Soar Past Pre-Covid Levels

New Zealand's international education export earnings have surpassed pre-Covid levels, reaching nearly $5 billion in the year to June 2026. Education Minister Erica Stanford said this is a major boost to the New Zealand economy.

The sector was hit harder than most by Covid-19 border closures but has now seen strong growth, rising from $3.5 billion in 2024 to $4.98 billion in 2026. This puts it well ahead of schedule towards its ambition of growing export earnings to $7.2 billion by 2034.

The number of international students enrolled in New Zealand has also increased, with a total of 92,580 in 2025 and on track to reach 99,000 in 2026. This represents strong growth from the 69,140 students in 2023.