We students have applied to various universities in NZ since the year 2020 and had been waiting that surely by semester one of 2022 things would have some sense of direction, even if means not getting there until semester two. Now we’re hearing, we may not even get there in time for that. I’m still set to start my program for semester one however now I’m contemplating if I should wait to start altogether. The way these delays (not processing visas until Aug) will rob us of the opportunity to apply for work visas if we do not meet hours requirements of studying in NZ is absurd. We’re paying for high tuition, we are willing to quarantine and do what it takes but still, the wait is ongoing. Not only does it impact our prospects and opportunities we thought we would have in NZ but for those of us at home who are waiting it out, need time to make arrangements for our visas (i.e. end our leases for those of us renting, sell or store our belongings, wondering if we can find a job and then leave it with the uncertainty of moving).

We are fully vaccinated, including the booster, and will take any tests and quarantine but we aren’t even being given the opportunity to do that! We surely hope that if these delays continue, they reimburse a sizeable part of our tuition and/or amend their requirements for applying for working visas since we all lost hours that would have been spent in NZ. It feels as if we students are not your priority at all and it scares us that what if after paying so much tuition fees and living expenses, we don't get a job or because of these travel restrictions, our work visa gets affected in the future. Australia had opened their borders for students already and we expect the same from you. We literally have paid thousands of dollars to watch recorded videos. The only two differences between online courses with NZ universities and public courses are fee paying and a paper-made certificate. We're not going to pay my money and future for your lockdowns and border policies. Learning in a bedroom is not what we paid for. We made a lot of good friends at NZ Uni, but our friends have already transferred to other universities in the UK, Canada, and Australia. The country still does not really realize how border restrictions have negatively affected international students' mental health and academic performance.
 
The New Zealand border has been closed for too long, and other countries have opened up to overseas students one by one or adopted corresponding policies for the entry of overseas students. The New Zealand government has been silent about the entry of overseas students, which has left overseas students experiencing countless disappointments. Does the New Zealand government want all overseas students to transfer to other countries with open borders?

In the past two years, we adjusted our mentality many times, and finally waited until the border opened in April 2022, but the immigration department closed the overseas visa centre until August 2022. This means that even if the border is opened in April 2022, overseas students will also not be able to enter New Zealand because they do not have a student visa.
 
We have been adjusting ourselves for two years, but the New Zealand government has not given us an accurate answer and has even closed the visa centre until August 2022, which means we have to wait another year to enrol. My future seems bleak. I understand safety but does this really entail being secretive and not informing the student a specific timeline for border openings. New Zealand has the responsibility to treat international students as a serious issue instead of ignoring them. And now that your country itself has so many cases, what is the problem? You are prioritizing tourists over students? You clearly do not want to give new visa and that is why the immigration has been closed until August! 
 
Students have been staying overseas for too long, it's time to let them come to New Zealand to complete their studies and we should equally get a chance to further get jobs and apply for a residency visa/permanent residency in the future. We need an open guarantee about this!

Thank you.